Print version Recommend this page Press release
01/ 2009
Bonn, 08.01.2009
Negotiated training allowances 2008: Slightly greater increase in the East than in the West
On average, the 2008 gross earnings of trainees amounted to 657 € per month in West Germany. The negotiated training allowances increased on average by 2.0% and thus slightly less than in the previous year, when the figure was 2.4% (see Chart 1). In East Germany the negotiated training allowance increased in 2008 by 2.9% to an average of 567 € per month - about the same increase as in the previous year (2.8%). The gap between the eastern and western pay scales did not change: in 2008, just like in the previous year, the pay level in the east was 86% of that in the west. The average negotiated pay in the Federal Republic as a whole in 2008 was 642 € per month, which was 2.2% more than the average of 628 € in the previous year. These are the findings of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in the 2008 assessment of negotiated training allowances.
Chart 1
The average allowance rate was determined for 185 occupations in West Germany and 152 occupations in East Germany. 89% of the trainees are trained in those occupations. The higher allowance rates for trainees aged 18 years or older agreed on in about 5% of the wage contracts were included in the calculations.
There are substantial differences in the amount of pay between training occupations (see Chart 2). The occupation with the highest training allowance by far both in West and East Germany was that of inland bargeman/-woman at 925 € per month. High allowance rates have been negotiated for many years in the main building trades (bricklayers, for example) as well: The 2008 average in West Germany was 873 € and in East Germany 679 € per month. The pay was also high in West and East Germany in the occupation of insurance and financial services broker at 815 € on average.
Rather low training allowance rates were paid, for example, in the occupations of painter and varnisher (west: 409 €, east: 376 €), florist (west: 424 €, east: 312 €), hairdresser (west: 438 €, east: 269 €) and baker (west: 478 €, east: 390 €).
Chart 2
One should bear in mind in the case of the occupation-specific average rates determined that there are often substantial differences in negotiated training allowance in one and the same occupation depending on the region and the business sector. One should also consider that the negotiated training allowance rates only apply in in-company training. In publicly funded extra-company training, the trainees generally receive substantially less pay. These rates are not considered here.
All in all, the training allowance rate distribution in the occupations examined was as follows in 2008: In West Germany the rates of pay for 55% of the trainees were between 500 and 749 €. 10% of the trainees received less than 500 €; allowance rates below 400 € were rare. 35% of the trainees received 750 € or more. In East Germany 38% of the trainees were paid 500 to 749 € per month. The allowance rates were under 500 € for 45% of the trainees and for 15% of them even under 400 €. 17% of the trainees received 750 € or more.
The BIBB also calculated the average allowance rates for female and male trainees: In West Germany, male trainees averaged 672 € and female trainees 635 €. In East Germany the average for male trainees was 577 € and for female trainees 548 €. The diverging averages result from the fact that young women are more often found in occupations with low rates of training allowance than young men.
Chart 3
There were also substantial differences in the amount of pay between fields of training in East and West Germany in 2008 (see Chart 3). Above average training allowance rates were negotiated in manufacturing and commerce (west: 730 €, east: 632 €) and in the public service (west: 724 €, east: 719 €). In the craft trades, the liberal professions and agriculture, on the other hand, the allowance rates were below the general average. One should not forget, however, that the allowance rates in the individual occupations differ widely, especially in the fields of manufacturing and commerce and in the crafts.
All the sums mentioned are the average rates of allowance for the entire period of training. For the individual training years, the rates for 2008 were as follows:
- In West Germany the allowance rates averaged 584 € per month in the first year of training, 652 € in the second year and 728 € in the third year.
- In East Germany the training allowance averaged 503 € per month in the first year of training, 570 € in the second year and 630 € in the third year.
Further information at the BIBB website under www.bibb.de/ausbildungsverguetung
