Print version Recommend this page Press release
01/ 2012
Bonn, 04.01.2012
Training allowances based on collective wage agreements 2011: significant increase in trainee salaries
The average amount earned by trainees in West Germany in 2011 was €708 gross per month. Training allowances based on collective wage agreements increased by 2.9%. This represented a larger rise than in the year 2010, when the corresponding figure was 1.3% (see Figure 1). In East Germany, training allowances based on collective wage agreements went up by 4.9% in 2011 to reach an average of €642 per month. This also constituted a significantly higher increase compared to the previous year (2.9%). The gap between the East German and West German collective wage agreement level continued to narrow. Training allowances paid in the East have now reached 91% of the Western remuneration level (2010: 89 %). The average training allowance based on collective wage agreements for the whole of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2011 was €700 per month, a rise of 3.2% compared to the 2010 level of €678. These results have been compiled by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in its evaluation of training allowances based on collective wage agreements for the year 2011.
Figure1
Average remunerations were calculated for 185 occupations in West Germany and 150 occupations in East Germany. 89 % of trainees are trained in these occupations.
Figure 2
Considerable differences in the amount of remuneration exist between training occupations, however (see Figure 2). High levels of remuneration based on collective wage agreements were, for example, agreed for the occupations of the main construction industry (such as bricklayer), particularly in West Germany. The average level of remuneration here was €943 per month, still significantly higher than in East Germany, where the corresponding figure was €750. High allowances were also paid in occupations such as mechatronics fitter (West: €868 €, East: €847) and industrial mechanic (West: €865, East: 826 €), whereby the deviations between the two parts of Germany were considerably lower in this case. The same high levels of training allowances were recorded in West and East Germany alike in the occupations of print media technologist and insurance and financial services broker, the figures for both areas of the country being €885 and €853 respectively.
On the other hand, remuneration tended to be low in the occupations of joiner (West: €543, East: €433), painter and varnisher (West and East: €528), baker (West: €500, East: €463), florist (West: €460, East: €312), hairdresser (West: €456, East: €269).
When considering the occupationally specific average values calculated, however, account needs to be taken of the fact that there are frequently considerable deviations in training allowances based on collective wage agreements depending on branch and region. Consideration also needs to be accorded to the fact that training allowances based on collective wage agreements only apply in company-based training. In extra-company training financed by public funds, trainees usually receive significantly lower levels of remuneration. These are not included here.
The overall distribution of training allowances based on collective wage agreements in the occupations investigated in the year 2011 is as follows. In West Germany, 59% of trainees received between €500 and €799. 3% of trainees were paid less than €500, whereas 38% earned €800 and more. 51% of East German trainees were paid a training allowance of between €500 and €799. 27% received less than €500, whereas 22% were paid €800 or more.
Figure 3
There were also clear differences between training sectors in West and East Germany in 2010 (see Figure 3). Above-average training allowances were achieved in trade and industry (West: €781, East: €701) and in the public sector (West and East: €760). Remunerations paid in the craft trades, in the liberal professions and in agriculture were, however, below the general average. Notwithstanding this, account needs to be taken of the fact that training allowances differ strongly between the individual occupations, particularly in the trade and industry sector and in the craft trades.
BIBB also calculates average levels of remuneration for male and female trainees. These calculations showed that male trainees in West Germany earned an average of €721 in 2011, whereas the corresponding figure for females was €688. In East Germany, the average remuneration levels for male and female trainees were €658 and €614 respectively. The reason for this difference in average training allowances paid is that young women tend to enter occupations with lower training allowances more frequently than young men.
All amounts stated refer to average remunerations based on collective wage agreements over the whole of the period of training. The 2011 values calculated for individual years of training are as follows.
- In West Germany, average training allowances were € 633 per month for the first year of training, € 703 per month for the second year and € 785 per month for the third.
- The corresponding average figures for East Germany were € 571, € 642 and € 706.
Further English language information is available on the BIBB website at http://www.bibb.de/en/783.htm
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