Increase in apprentices in skilled professions - Internship incentive demonstrates results - Increased apprenticeship opportunities in the craft industry - the trainee incentive is effective
In the eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the demand for apprenticeships in the skilled trades sector is on the rise. According to surveys by the Institute for Employment Research, the number of unfilled training positions has been increasing since 2010, with the quota of open training positions rising from 15 to around 35 percent.
After reunification, companies in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern often learned trades in extra-company facilities when they were unable to take on all school leavers with the desire for dual training. However, the decline in birth rates after the end of the GDR led to a significant decrease in the number of new starters in vocational training, especially in East Germany.
To address this issue, the state government has promised to provide funds from the federal infrastructure special assets for investments in vocational education. The craft industry in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which employs around 112,000 people in nearly 20,000 businesses and accounts for a quarter of the training places in the state, is gaining popularity among job starters. In 2015, around 1,800 school leavers started an apprenticeship in the skilled trades, and this number increased to 1,790 young people signing training contracts for the year 2021, representing an eight percent increase compared to the previous year, with 133 more filled positions.
Heating and air conditioning technology, electrical and motor vehicle trades, maritime sector, joinery, and healthcare professions are in high demand in the craft industry. Uwe Lange, President of the Chamber of Crafts in Schwerin, supports practical-oriented vocational orientation as crucial for a successful start into a fulfilling working life.
However, around 620 offered training places in the craft industry of the state remain unfilled. To encourage more young people to pursue a career in the craft industry, the Ministry of Education has introduced a practical learning day for the new school year, and the internship bonus for students in the craft industry has been extended for two more years. The state aims to make up to 150,000 euros available annually for the internship bonus in the following years.
Uwe Lange, President of the Chamber of Crafts in Schwerin, also calls for state aid for apprentices to finance their rent. The state grants students who are at least 15 years old, have their residence in MV, and work in a craft business during the holidays an internship bonus of 120 euros per week for a maximum of three weeks. The introduction of the internship bonus for students in the summer of 2024 has motivated a significant number of young people to start a craft training course after school.
Both chamber presidents urge the federal and state governments to further strengthen vocational education, including investments in extra-company training facilities and the renovation of vocational schools. Early contact with the craft industry is believed to make career choices easier for young people, and the continued efforts to attract more apprentices to the skilled trades sector in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are a step in the right direction.
