Foreign languages and intercultural skills are becoming increasingly important due to the internationalisation of many companies. Moreover, learning mobility makes a valuable contribution to the personal development of young people. Practical learning and work experience abroad, for example through the European Erasmus+ programme, should not only be taken for granted for students but also fostered more strongly in vocational education by expanding financial support.
Foreign languages and intercultural skills are becoming increasingly important due to the internationalisation of many companies. Moreover, learning mobility makes a valuable contribution to the personal development of young people. Practical learning and work experience abroad, for example through the European Erasmus+ programme, should not only be taken for granted for students but also fostered more strongly in vocational education by expanding financial support. To meet company requirements and individual possibilities, both short-term stays of a few weeks and longer stays of over three months, as well as group stays abroad, should be possible.
To convince more companies of the benefits of learning stays abroad, there is a need in the member states for regionally anchored and company-oriented contact points for advice, mediation, and support for companies. Procedures should be further simplified to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to use Erasmus+ even more flexibly. Furthermore, a "German Vocational Exchange Service" (DBAD) analogous to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) should be established and supported with federal funds.