Print version Recommend this page Press release
37/ 2005
Bonn, 15.09.2005
Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany: participants predominantly satisfied with training - but what next?
Young people in East Germany have declared themselves to be "predominantly" or even "very" satisfied with the vocational education they have received within the scope of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany project. This is the view of more than two thirds (68%) of the programme's participants, who are organised in local training networks consisting of external vocational education and training centres and in-company learning (workplace related training). They spend at least 50% of their training in companies. This opinion is not as strongly represented by those Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany trainees receiving their training at vocational schools (school-based training), but even here just under half (48%) are either "satisfied" or "very satisfied". Within school-based training, specialist practical training mostly takes place via external vocational education and training providers and by means of short periods of in-company work experience.
Notwithstanding this positive appraisal, the fact is that every second trainee taking part in the Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany project - 46% of those involved in workplace related training and 54% of those undergoing school based training - would prefer to do a normal in-company apprenticeship. In contrast to this, one in four of the former group and one in six of the latter do not perceive any clear advantage in in-company training. The remainder of those questioned were unsure as to whether in-company training would be a better option for them than the training available within the framework of Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany.
The above mentioned figures are the results of a written survey of the total of approximately 14,000 workplace related and school based training participants involved in the Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany for 2003, the study being carried out by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB). Of the 6,655 respondents, about 79% are undergoing workplace related training and about 21% are involved in school-based training.
The federal government and the federal states of eastern Germany have jointly financed the Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany for unplaced training place applicants since 1993. In each of the last four years, 14,000 additional training places have been financed via the project. On behalf of the BMBF, the BIBB is currently evaluating the Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany projects implemented in the years 2002 until 2004.
Further findings of the survey are:
- A predominantly negative view is taken of the very low level of apprentice's pay in the case of workplace related training or the complete lack of any pay for school-based training (further information regarding apprentice's pay for external training is available from the BIBB online, together with the survey results, on www.bibb.de/de/16913). Two thirds of the workplace related trainees are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the level of pay, and 72% of the school-based participants describe the absence of any apprentice's pay as a considerable or very considerable disadvantage of their training. Amongst the 70% of trainees who have considered discontinuing their training, one in two states financial issues as the reason.
- Those surveyed are very reticent when it comes to assessing their chances on the labour market. Only one in five of workplace related trainees and just over one in ten of school-based participants perceive that they have a good chance of obtaining a job in the occupation for which they have trained, the majority tending to be undecided on this issue. More than 20% of the former group and 28% of the latter think their chances on the labour market are poor. This is, however, perceived to be far more a result of the difficult prevailing employment conditions rather than a consequence of any particular type of training.
- In line with these findings, the willingness of Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany participants to relocate is high. More than half of the workplace related and school-based trainees is prepared to leave their current place of residence at a later stage in order to obtain a job.
A detailed German language description of the results of the survey of participants is available online under www.bibb.de/dokumente/pdf/a23_ergebnisse-befragung-apo-teilnehmer-2004.pdf
Training providers involved in the Training Place Programme for Eastern Germany were also asked for their assessment within the framework of the BIBB evaluation. The results of this survey and publications relating to the evaluation project as a whole are available under www.bibb.de/de/wlk8305.htm .
