Bringing young people together with training companies so that they can #STARTApprenticeship - that’s what the partners of the “Alliance for Education and Training” worked towards from June to October 2021 in the “Summer of Vocational Training”. On nine topic-based campaign days, they demonstrated the comprehensive opportunities for personal development that an in-company apprenticeship offers.

The campaign days were accompanied by a variety of events such as information events and summer camps, and met with large numbers of young people. All in all, the “Summer” counted some 800 regional events and achieved more than 2 million views on social media. In this way, it was possible to reach numerous young people and their parents, who got to find out about the excellent job, career and earning opportunities offered by a dual apprenticeship. And many companies were motivated to offer and fill apprenticeship places.

During the “Summer of Vocational Training”, the joint efforts of the alliance partners succeeded in raising the profile of vocational training and dual apprenticeships at both the regional and national levels. The success of the initiative also finds reflection in the current figures on the apprenticeship market: companies in industry and commerce, the skilled trades and the professions finalised two percent more training contracts by the end of September 2021 than they did in the previous year.

The Alliance for Education and Training is also committed to further strengthening dual apprenticeships after the end of the “Summer of Vocational Training”. And young people remain to be placed: the apprenticeship websites of the chambers of commerce and the Federal Employment Agency still have several attractive apprenticeship vacancies that are waiting for interested applicants. Many businesses and companies are still looking for their skilled staff of tomorrow.

Federal Minister of Economic Affairs, Peter Altmaier: “The dual apprenticeship is one of the key strengths of Germany as a location. It is important for us to continue to do everything we can to further strengthen dual apprenticeships and to inspire more young people to take this path. The Summer of Vocational Training was a great success. With an impressive number of events and social media activities, the partners of the Alliance for Education and Training sent a strong signal. Over the coming months, the Alliance for Education and Training will continue to work hard to further stabilise the apprenticeship market and to strengthen the dual apprenticeship as a key mainstay for the next generation of skilled workers.”

Federal Minister of Education, Anja Karliczek: “It is close to my heart that all young people who aspire to an apprenticeship can find a placement in which they can make use of their skills and strengths. An apprenticeship is the key to securing a professional future. At the same time, every apprenticeship place to be filled ensures that well-trained skilled workers are available in the skilled trades and industry in the years to come. So that we also achieve this in the second year of the pandemic, we have joined forces within the Alliance for Education and Training for the “Summer of Vocational Training” with its wide-ranging campaign. We can feel satisfied with the success of our joint work. As a sustainable contribution by the Federal Ministry of Education, in October I launched the digital career guidance portal berufenavi.de, which will provide young people with a comprehensive and reliable entry point to career guidance and the search for apprenticeship places both now and in the future.”

Federal Minister of Employment, Hubertus Heil: “An apprenticeship is the best investment in the future. In this respect, we need to support young people as they start their careers and bring them together with companies. This joint campaign has shown that this is also possible under the conditions of the coronavirus pandemic. With the federal programme 'Securing apprenticeship places', we are also providing financial assistance to ensure that apprenticeships can continue during these difficult economic times. The funding is now available. That is why I’m calling on all companies to train young people and take advantage of the apprenticeship bonuses.”

Minister of State for Integration, Annette Widmann-Mauz: “For Germany to be a strong business location, it is important for us to get young people enthusiastic about dual apprenticeship and to support our companies and businesses. We have done this with the 'Summer of Vocational Training' and the launch of the 'Securing Apprenticeships' programme. It is important to focus on all young people, with or without an immigration background. After all, diversity is a genuine factor for innovation and ensures that our economy has the young skilled workers it urgently needs!”

Chair of the Executive Board of the Federal Employment Agency, Detlef Scheele: “This year, together with the partners of the Alliance for Education and Training, with the “Summer of Vocational Training”, we have taken an unconventional approach to supporting young people in starting their training. Over the summer, we organised a wide variety of activities to bring young people and companies together this year once again. I would definitely like to encourage young people who still haven’t found anything after the official start of their training. It still isn’t too late to start an apprenticeship. It is important for young people to choose a career which is based on their strengths and interests. And the careers advice service of the employment agency is there to help and support young people in making this important decision.”

President of the BDA, Dr. Rainer Dulger: “In the Summer of Vocational Training, the world of business went at full throttle. The wide variety of campaigns to inspire young people and their parents to take up an apprenticeship have had an impressive reach. In the area of career orientation, however, there is still a need to catch up, especially in the networking of schools. This is an area in which we have to make progress with the partners of the Alliance for Education and Training. Businesses won’t be slackening in their commitment to apprenticeships after the "Summer of Vocational Training” either. After all, right now in particular, skilled workers are the beating heart of every company and an important engine for the economic recovery, despite and after the coronavirus pandemic. Important: apprenticeships aren’t just available for a start in August or September, some are even available beyond the end of the year.”

Deputy Chair of the DGB, Elke Hannack: “The Summer of Vocational Education and Training has once again put the importance of the dual apprenticeship in the limelight. We mustn’t slacken our efforts to offer an apprenticeship place to all young people who are interested in one. It is still the case that too many young people miss out and are forced into a temporary solution. That is why it is worthwhile to continue fighting for every apprenticeship place. The much-lamented shortage of skilled workers can only be countered with decent apprenticeships. The coronavirus apprenticeships of the DGB Youth highlighted the pressing problems faced by apprentices and is an important source of impetus for improving the quality of apprenticeships.”

President of the Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, Britta Ernst: “We mustn’t slacken in our efforts to raise public awareness for the wide-ranging and highly differentiated vocational training programmes that are open to all young people and young adults. In view of the attractive and crisis-proof career prospects which are offered by vocational training in particular, it is important for us to build on the “Summer of Vocational Training” and further intensify our offers for vocational orientation both in and outside schools in a way that is appropriate for the target group, and to make use of new information and event formats, also in the social environment of the young people.”

Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of Economic Affairs, Prof. Dr Andreas Pinkwart: “The dual apprenticeship system is the foundation for securing a skilled workforce in the future. Companies urgently require well-trained staff. Against this background, the dual apprenticeship enjoys a high priority in the federal states. This is reflected especially strongly in the wide-ranging measures taken by partners of the federations, alliances and pacts in the federal states, which complemented the Summer of Vocational Training of the alliance partners exceptionally well. North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, launched a campaign week in June under the “Apprenticeship now!” umbrella brand of the NRW Training Consensus, which successfully addressed young people and parents with a variety of counselling services, hotlines, social media platforms and a campaign for internships in the skilled trades.”

Chair of the Conference of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs, Kristina Vogt: “The Summer of Vocational Training” demonstrated the importance and value of vocational training for Germany. This was an important symbol before the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. A wide range of participants highlighted the opportunities which an apprenticeship offers. Alliances were renewed, special campaigns were completed, measures to stabilise the market for apprenticeships were expanded and creative formats for approaching people were used. It was possible to reach many young people and companies. Vocational training is the best way for people to secure their livelihood and offers various career profiles and career paths. Modern vocational training is a key element for helping to shape the future challenges and the necessary transformation of our living and working environments. It is now important that we don't slacken off, that we make access routes, assistance and support systems consistently transparent, and that we also develop potential for improvement.”

Information on the "Summer of Vocational Training" and the Alliance for Education and Training is available on the website of the Alliance for Education and Training