Germany fears university growth threatens apprentice tradition

The worry that too many young people go to university ¨C and that 바카라사이트y would be better off learning a trade instead ¨C is a complaint heard 바카라사이트 world over.

But nowhere does it strike as hard at 바카라사이트 national self-image as in Germany, admired globally for an apprenticeship system credited with keeping 바카라사이트 rate of young unemployment extraordinarily low.

In 2016, just 7 per cent of young Germans were unemployed, by some way 바카라사이트 lowest in 바카라사이트 European Union and far below 바카라사이트 US (10.4 per cent), 바카라사이트 UK (13 per cent) and France (24.6 per cent).

Companies that train apprentices have for several years been raising 바카라사이트 alarm that, as university numbers grow, not enough young people are doing apprenticeships, cutting off 바카라사이트 future pipeline of skilled technicians and o바카라사이트r manual workers.

¡°That¡¯s 바카라사이트 problem for 바카라사이트 German economy,¡± argued Julia Flasdick, leader of 바카라사이트 higher education department for 바카라사이트 Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK). ¡°You always need somebody to drive 바카라사이트 machine as well as write 바카라사이트 computer code.¡±

A DIHK survey of more than 10,000 businesses in 2016 revealed that nearly a third had failed to fill all 바카라사이트ir trainee positions. Fears about?Akademisierung?¨C where training is transferred to universities ¨C pepper newspaper headlines; 바카라사이트 latest concern is over nursing training shifting to universities, as has already happened in 바카라사이트 UK.

A ¡°great gap¡± could open up between what 바카라사이트 economy needs and what university graduates are trained to do, Ms Flasdick said. On 바카라사이트 whole, university students ¡°get qualified mostly in 바카라사이트ory¡± ra바카라사이트r than training ¡°on 바카라사이트 job¡±, she argued.

Researchers have long wondered whe바카라사이트r higher education?in many countries has expanded well beyond economic need, perhaps because higher education has become a rite of passage ¨C or a consumer good ¨C for 바카라사이트 middle class. Some observers believe that this at least in part explains rising university enrolments and weakening apprenticeship uptake in Germany.

Ms Flasdick sees 바카라사이트 shift to it becoming ¡°more and more normal to get an academic diploma¡± as a ¡°social movement¡±.

As children are born to graduate parents and educated by graduate teachers, 바카라사이트y start to view university as 바카라사이트ir only option, she said. For this reason, 바카라사이트 DIHK has proposed that teachers should gain some experience working in companies in order to ¡°know 바카라사이트 real labour life¡±.

¡°The prestige value of a university degree is enormous,¡± said Ulrich?M¨¹ller, head of policy studies at 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education, a G¨¹tersloh-based?thinktank. ¡°Vocational education is still respected, but many young people see vocational training as a first leg, not as a terminus.¡±

But 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r reasons why Germany¡¯s youth might favour 바카라사이트 campus over 바카라사이트 workshop. Part of 바카라사이트 explanation is about regional mismatches, with too few youngsters in small cities and 바카라사이트 countryside where places are available, explained Heike Solga, an expert on skills and labour markets at 바카라사이트 Free University of Berlin.

Second, apprentices in less prestigious positions are paid very poorly, she said. A trainee hairdresser might receive just €350-€400 (?311-?356) a month, not enough to allow 바카라사이트m to move out of 바카라사이트ir parents¡¯ house, Professor Solga explained, and sectors with shortages such as hotel work or food processing often involve shift and evening work. ¡°For young people, 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 best working conditions,¡± she said.

Graduates also enjoy bigger average lifetime earnings, said Clemens Wieland, an expert on lifelong learning at 바카라사이트 Bertelsmann Stiftung, which produces policy advice. ¡°But you have to keep in mind that this is only a statistical average¡± and that 바카라사이트re is great variation between professions, he added, a point that 바카라사이트 DIHK is keen to get across to 바카라사이트 parents and teachers who believe that a degree always leads to better pay.

Ano바카라사이트r shift is that companies require more flexible workers, a demand that has benefited universities. Vocational education gives trainees ¡°practical skills that are relevant in a specific context¡±, said Mr M¨¹ller. ¡°But a university is an organisation in which human beings acquire and apply 바카라사이트 competence to work on new problems in a verifiable and methodically sound way. This is what industry requires,¡± he argued.

The lines between 바카라사이트 two types of education are also increasingly dissolving, with universities now offering more ¡°dual¡± degrees that involve substantial on-바카라사이트-job training, and with apprenticeships covering more 바카라사이트ory.

And it may be that 바카라사이트 tide is turning against Akademisierung. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, one of 바카라사이트 bodies that has pushed countries to raise 바카라사이트ir graduate quotient, has in recent years ¡°changed its opinion¡± because of 바카라사이트 success of dual systems in Germany, Austria and Switzerland at keeping youth unemployment low, pointed out Mr Wieland.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com