Frankfurt am Main – The German apprenticeship market is sliding deeper and deeper into crisis. The industrial sector, in particular, is cutting back on training the next generation. IG Metall warns of massive consequences for the economy and society. “Young people are motivated. But the industry is once again undercutting its already low level of apprenticeship training and is thus mindlessly sawing off the branch it’s sitting on,” says Executive Board member Hans-Jürgen Urban.
According to the “IG Metall Apprenticeship Report 2025,” companies in core industrial occupations signed 25,800 apprenticeship contracts—9.1 percent fewer than in the previous year. These include, for example, mechatronics technicians and industrial mechanics. Compared to 2019, the industry reduced the number of contracts by one-fifth (21.7 percent). Before the pandemic, the union had recorded 32,900 apprenticeship contracts. The mechanical engineering sector, as well as the metal and electrical industries—including vehicle manufacturers and suppliers—have been particularly hard hit.
In IT professions as well, companies signed 14.3 percent fewer contracts with young people than in 2024. Skilled trades saw a decline of 3.0 percent.
Urban: “The economic crisis is also being felt by apprenticeship applicants, but it must not be an excuse for companies. Apprenticeships are not a cost but an opportunity for everyone. The trend is disastrous: Companies are becoming less and less willing to provide apprenticeships precisely in those areas where the next generation of skilled workers is urgently needed for economic transformation. This is short-sighted bungling at the expense of young people.”
Nationwide and across all industries, demand among young people for dual vocational training rose slightly by 0.7 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year. However, the number of available apprenticeship positions fell by 4.6 percent. In 2025, 84,400 young people were still searching: 40,000 applicants were left without an apprenticeship contract. Another 44,000 young people continued to search for their desired apprenticeship position, while having to take on part-time jobs or accept an alternative apprenticeship position as a second choice.
Urban: “Germany is at a turning point. Either we secure industrial value creation through strong vocational training—or we lose skills, competitiveness, and social stability. Waiting any longer would be disastrous. Already, around 2.9 million young people between the ages of 20 and 34 lack a vocational qualification.”
To halt this negative trend, IG Metall is calling for a statutory apprenticeship levy that would benefit companies providing training. Support for businesses and young people should also include better career guidance for students, youth employment agencies to facilitate a smoother transition to an apprenticeship, and more support for young people with special needs.
The “IG Metall Apprenticeship Report 2025” (download here) was based, among other things, on analyses by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BiBB).
Further information and press photos of Hans-Jürgen Urban
