Many young people successfully make the transition from school to the workforce. They often handle the demands without major problems. Some, however, struggle with deciding what to do after school. Should they start an apprenticeship , and if so, which one? Some young people need support with career guidance and someone to stand by them when they receive nothing but rejections.
However, there are programs offered by companies for young people who face greater challenges than others. For example, the so-called “entry-level qualification” (EQ) program at Audi in Ingolstadt. Young people spend ten months gaining hands-on experience in various areas of the company and only then decide whether to pursue an apprenticeship as a production mechanic or mechatronics technician. The so-called “conversion rate”—that is, the percentage of participants who go on to a regular apprenticeship—is 60 to 70 percent.
Seizing the Opportunity
IGMetall works council memberJürgen Wittmann, who oversees the program at Audi, sees the initiative as a “door opener to vocational training.” The basic philosophy is to give young people who have fallen through the “normal” cracks—due to grades or social circumstances—the chance to pursue an apprenticeship. Participants in Audi’s entry-level qualification program are currently between 16 and 29 years old and receive support in social-educational matters as well as with academic issues. The company has had positive experiences with the program. According to training manager Richard Wensauer, the young people in the EQ program are developing at an above-average rate. “Many realize that we’re giving them another chance. Many know that this might be their last chance to really get a foothold.”
There should be many more programs like Audi’s that pave the way for young people to enter a regular apprenticeship. After all, the number of young people between the ages of 20 and 34 who lack a vocational qualification—2.6 million—is alarmingly high. And the trend is rising. The new IG Metall analysis of the situation in the apprenticeship market also hits a nerve. So-called “matching problems” are on the rise. For the second year in a row, the number of unfilled apprenticeship positions exceeds the number of applicants still looking for one. At the same time, the number of young people without an apprenticeship has risen, exacerbating the situation. Economically speaking, last year there were 73,400 unfilled apprenticeship positions compared to 63,700 young people without an apprenticeship who were still looking.
According to IG Metall, the so-called “mismatch problems” in the apprenticeship market stem from a lack of career guidance during and after school, as well as from regionally uneven distribution and unattractive apprenticeship offerings by companies. Added to this is often a rigid hiring practice with overly high expectations regarding formal educational qualifications. This approach is not sustainable, as companies are losing many applicants who may have learning difficulties but are otherwise motivated. In light of the shortage of skilled workers, this is a disastrous path.
IG Metall Calls for an Apprenticeship Levy
IG Metall Executive Board member Hans-Jürgen Urban warns: “The apprenticeship market—and young people in particular—need a package of measures now: a broader range of qualified and attractive apprenticeship positions, as well as systematic information and efforts by youth career agencies to inspire young people about the full spectrum of professions.” However, he emphasizes that the responsibility ultimately lies with companies. Only one in five companies currently provides apprenticeships: “Those who provide apprenticeships must do so under good conditions. Those who do not provide apprenticeships must pay,” says Urban.
In addition to systematic transition management between school and work, IG Metall is therefore calling for legally mandated levy-based financing. A levy on companies that do not provide apprenticeships would be used to support those that do. “Employers’ commitment to their own future and that of young people is sobering. Those who provide little or no training have no right to complain about a skilled-labor shortage. Employers and policymakers must now take action against the boycott of vocational training and the reluctance to provide it.”
