Print version Recommend this page Press release
38/ 2011
Bonn, 29.07.2011
Training place market - Sharp decline in the number of youths in the 'transition system'
The number of youths who are initially unable to find a training place after completing their general secondary schooling has declined sharply. According to calculations from the Integrated Vocational Training Reporting System (iABE), this figure was 'only' some 323,700 in 2010, 22.5% less than in 2005 when more than 417,600 youths ended up in the 'transition system'. This development has been welcomed by Professor Dr Friedrich Hubert Esser, president of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), who also pointed out with an eye to the start of the new vocational training year on 1 August that "when this number is to fall even further, trade and industry must make every effort in connection with the soon-to-start follow-up placement campaign to find trainees for the training places that are still vacant. Every possibility must be used. Youths who want to undergo in-company vocational training and youths who are capable of undergoing vocational training do not belong in 'holding patterns' while making the transition to vocational training. Instead, they must be trained to meet our future needs for skilled labour, particularly in light of the current demographic trend."
BIBB's president called upon Germany's federal government and state governments to join forces to effect the urgently needed improvements in managing the transition between secondary school and the vocational training system. According to President Esser, efforts must aim at thinning out the jungle of assistance measures. "The immense number of offerings must be reduced and focused on youths for whom transition management measures would be useful." The German government's 'education chain' approach is the right route but the federal government and state governments together "must disseminate it on a broad and lasting basis," commented President Esser.
Germany's western states are seeing peak numbers of training place applicants due to a change in the secondary school system that has led to two age cohorts leaving school this year and the suspension of compulsory military service. As President Esser noted, it is vital that companies make use of this situation to recruit future specialists and managers. "I would advise youths, and their parents, to inform themselves on a broad basis about the options available to them. Dual vocational training offers an attractive alternative to university studies, particularly for school leavers who have earned qualification to study at university," BIBB's president pointed out. This however will require enterprises to keep the number of training places they offer high in order to avoid cutthroat competition over training places at the expense of less-qualified school leavers, President Esser added. The latest figures from the Federal Employment Agency (BA) confirm that Germany is however on the right path, reported BIBB's president: The number of training places for in-company vocational training has increased by more than 40,000 over the previous year.
17 new or modernised training regulations go into effect on 1 August
The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training is continuing its work on modernising 'dual' vocational training (which combines part-time vocational schooling with practical work experience). New or updated training regulations will go into effect on 1 August for the following occupations:
- Optician
- Boat builder
- Bookbinder
- Bookseller
- Specialist in furniture, kitchen and removal services (converted to permanent law)
- Stitching leather specialist
- Mechatronics fitter
- Media designer for flexography
- Print media technologist
- Media technologist in print processing (new)
- Screen print media technologist
- Packaging materials technologist
- Shipping and chartering manager
- Technical product designer
- Technical system planner
- Textilgestalter im Handwerk / Textilgestalterin im Handwerk [textile designer in the crafts sector]
- Tourismuskaufmann (Kaufmann für Privat- und Geschäftsreisen) / Tourismuskauffrau (Kauffrau für Privat- und Geschäftsreisen) [tourism agent (agent for private and business travel)]
Further information is available on the BIBB website at www.bibb.de/neue-berufe-2011
Background:
The Integrated Vocational Training Reporting project (iABE) enables an overview of all forms of vocational training which are available to young people after completing their general secondary schooling. Funded by Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the iABE system takes current data 0 regarding not only dual vocational training but also training courses at vocational schools which lead to full vocational qualification, the transition system and other paths to vocational qualification 0 and places it in a common framework. This makes it possible to determine on the basis of official statistics where all members of an age cohort land after completing their secondary schooling. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training has conducted this project since 2009 in conjunction with the Federal Statistical Office and the state statistical offices.
Further information and data are also available in the report "Einmündungen im Übergangsbereich rückläufig" (Placements in the transition system on the decline) (www.bibb.de/bwp/iabe) which will be published next week in the latest issue of the BIBB journal "Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis - BWP" (Vocational Training in Research and Practice).
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