This article was the topic of the week in the newsletter for week 37 in 2025.

The start of the new apprenticeship year faces challenging conditions: candidate shortages, lack of basic qualifications, and the multi-year economic crisis weigh heavily on businesses. Results from the DIHK Apprenticeship Survey 2025 reveal: last year, every second company across industry, commerce, and services was unable to fill all apprenticeship positions. Particularly affected by the trainee shortage are the transport and construction industries. 

A third of companies with difficulty filling positions state that they received no applications at all. Although the number of applicants registered with the Federal Employment Agency (BA) has recently risen, there continue to be significantly more apprenticeship positions than applications. Shortly before the start of the apprenticeship year, 130,000 vacancies remain unfilled according to BA statistics. Anyone looking for an apprenticeship now still has good chances.

Suitable applicants are lacking

In addition to the shortage of candidates, there are also considerable qualification matching problems: Three-quarters of businesses with difficulties filling vacancies recently could not find suitable candidates. Nine out of ten companies regard good work and social behaviour as important to very important prerequisites for successful training. Equally important is mental capability, such as attention, logical thinking, or memory. Nearly half of businesses find deficiencies in both areas – particularly regarding the resilience of young people.

The recession presents an additional challenge for the apprenticeship market. According to the DIHK Apprenticeship Survey 2025, more than a quarter of companies plan to reduce the number of apprenticeships this year. Among businesses facing economically challenging prospects, this increases to two-fifths. After three years without economic growth, perspectives are often lacking – although two-thirds of companies still retain all their apprentices. The dilemma: reducing apprenticeships today jeopardises tomorrow's need for skilled workers. 

Impact of apprenticeship campaign

The Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHKs) have been promoting vocational training since 2023 with the campaign Vocational training makes more of us | IHK - Learn #skillsnow on posters, digital billboards, and the TikTok channel @die.azubis for company-based apprenticeships. Slogans such as "Not fake. But capable." and "No worries. They’re doing something." highlight the advantages of this career path and attract young people to dual training. The increasing number of applicants suggests the messages are resonating. 

Greater openness to trainees from third countries 

More than half of businesses see apprentices from third countries as an opportunity for their own skilled worker security – a third already has concrete experience with this. Another quarter of companies could envision training young people from third countries in the future. By August 2025, around 110,000 foreign candidates have applied for dual apprenticeships here according to BA (a 17 percent increase compared to the previous year) – this accounts for a quarter of all applicants. Of these, around 50,000 have a refugee background. Their integration into the apprenticeship and labour markets is vital for the German economy to offset the continued decline in German trainees. IHKs and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) support through comprehensive advisory services and networking projects.

Political support required

Training companies must not be left alone with these challenges. Numerous apprentices show great potential; however, many still begin without the necessary foundations: arithmetic, writing, and reading skills must be present, as well as reliability, commitment, and diligence. Here, education policies are crucial. Schools need to better prepare their students for working life. 

Politics should also support businesses in utilising the potential of trainees from abroad more effectively. Key barriers include insufficient German language skills at the start of training – as reported by 71 percent of companies in the DIHK Apprenticeship Survey – alongside a lack of affordable housing near the workplace (48 percent) and bureaucratic hurdles surrounding immigration and employment (62 percent). Vocational language courses should be further supported, and participation should be made mandatory before the start of training. A particularly promising example is the 1+3 combination model from the IHK in Coburg, which could be implemented nationwide. Additionally, the planned "Work-and-stay agency" of the new federal government should provide unbureaucratic and transparent access – with digitised and streamlined procedures.