PRESS STATEMENT Germany must become a nation of lifelong learning

Jörg Hofmann, President of IG Metall:
“Germany must become a nation of lifelong learning—who wouldn’t agree with that? The fact is: there is a huge gap between general awareness and concrete action. The transformation is changing the nature of work and job profiles for millions of employees. If we don’t want to lament a shortage of skilled workers on the one hand and de-skilling and career decline on the other, we need systematic workforce development within companies. Just one example: Some 80,000 engineers, technicians, and highly skilled workers are currently developing, testing, and building internal combustion engines. What will their future look like if, by 2028 at the latest, there are no longer any new internal combustion engines? To build bridges to the working world of tomorrow, we need a skills development initiative and a forward-looking labor market policy. IG Metall welcomes the continuation of the National Continuing Education Strategy. In addition to the training allowance, subsidized part-time education, and improvements to the short-time work transfer allowance, works councils finally need more rights to be able to implement continuing education in the workplace. As a social partner, we will contribute to the National Continuing Education Strategy and work together on it.”

Dr. Hans-Jürgen Urban, Executive Board Member of IG Metall:
“The socio-ecological transformation will only succeed if workers can receive continuing education. Already today, more than 200 IG Metall union representatives in over 40 companies are being trained as continuing education mentors. They are a crucial pillar of the National Continuing Education Strategy: Continuing education mentors are close to the workers, have their trust, and support them in their professional development. At IG Metall, we expect employers to recognize continuing education mentors as an opportunity for workforce development and to actively support them. They need time to carry out their duties and resources for their own professional development.”