Training Campaign

The Federal Government's Training Campaign pursues the objective of improving the training place situation in the long term; at the same time, it is a central element for the implementation of the Federal Government's supportive activities agreed in the "National Pact for Training and Young Skilled Staff in Germany". Different measures are to support industry in creating training places. This applies, in particular, to regions with a comparatively poor ratio between demand for and supply of training places. At the same time, more training places are to be created in future-oriented branches and in the area of new technologies.

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Training under the dual system which combines training in companies and instruction in part-time vocational schools provides the basis for entering professional life for the majority of young people. At the same time, young skilled staff trained in a practice-oriented way strengthens the competitiveness of industry. The Training Campaign "Train Now - Success Needs Everyone" provides impetus for winning additional training places and training companies. The new growth branches such as microsystems technology, nanotechnology, optical technologies and biotechnology also hold potential for training. The demand for skilled labour will rise strongly in these fields. Surveys of IAB (Institute of Employment Research) and BIBB (Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training) show that Germany will suffer from enormous shortages of skilled staff by the year 2015, in particular in the age group 30 to 45, unless sufficient training is provided.

With its Training Campaign, the Federal Government therefore pursues the objectives

• of supporting industry in providing a sufficient number of training places in the current training year, and
• of consistently continuing on the path of structural reform of the system of dual vocational training, the creation of enabling framework conditions in company-based vocational training and support for industry's training efforts by means of public funding programmes.

Balance of Training Places

The balance for the year 2006 shows that the "National Pact for Training and Young Skilled Staff in Germany" works. In the period between 1st October 2005 and 30rd September 2006, 576.153 new training contracts were concluded in Germany, which is 26.000 contracts or 4,7% more than in the previous year. After the unfavourable trend in the conclusion of new training contracts in 2005, the positive trend witnessed in 2004 was continued in 2006. Compared to 2003 - the year before the launch of the Training Campaign - the gain amounts to 18.500 contracts (+ 3,3 %). On the 5th of May 2007, the Federal Government has extended the Training Campaign for three more years.

The number of young people registered with the Federal Employment Office as not placed on 30 September 2006 had nevertheless risen by 8.965 to around 49.500. Through the intensive extra placement campaigns conducted jointly by the Employment Agencies and the Chambers within the framework of the National Pact for Training, this was reduced to 17.400 by January 2007 (+ 1.800 compared to the previous year). To this date, the numerical gap between unfilled training jobs (1.700) and not placed young people amounted to 15.700 (+ 3.800 compared to the previous year).

Both key figures together - the increased number of new contracts as well as the increased number of unplaced youths - suggest that the number of vocational training offers and the increased number of off-the-job-training offers did not match the current and the as yet unsatisfied demand of previous years.

The Federal Government has vigorously continued numerous measures and activities of the Training Campaign in 2006. Once again, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research launched a special Bund-Länder programme for an additional 13,000 training places in the new Länder and provided about 88 million Euro for that programme. Within the framework of its special programme "Introductory Training for Young People" (EQJ programme), the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs provided about 69,5 million Euro to cover part of young people's cost of living and of their social security contributions. In 2007 there are 109 Mio. € available to fund up to 40.000 EQJ-places instead of only 25.000 as before.

The funds for the JOBSTARTER-programme were increased by 25 mill. € to a total of  125 mill. € (including ESF funds).

For 2007, the BMBF estimates an increase in the number of vocational training offers. According to the experiences from the last year it can be safely assumed that the number of training offers will be reported in the second and third quarter. This number will likely rise significantly due to the sound development of the German economy. The projection published in the draft of the Report on Vocational Education and Training 2007 assumes a realistic target of about 615.000. Industry and trade are now responsible for turning the backing from economic development and support measures into a viable offer for young people.

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  topic Education

  JOBSTARTER: a funding programme for more training places

  The BMBF is providing funding for training places. There are special funding programmes for mobilizing training places in companies and for financing additional training places. With the "JOBSTARTER - Training for the Future" programme existing programmes are given a new orientation.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/2313.php)