Agency Report –
Young people from abroad are increasingly beginning dual apprenticeships in Germany, figures from the Federal Statistical Office, or Destatis, released on Thursday showed.
While the number of new apprentices from within the country decreased by 4% last year, the number of new contracts for young foreigners increased by 17%. They now make up 15% of all new apprenticeship entrants, having nearly doubled in number since 2014, Destatis said.
The largest groups come from Vietnam, Syria and Ukraine, it said.
Overall, 475,100 new apprenticeship contracts were signed, marking a 1% decline from the previous year. Approximately 339,000 individuals successfully completed their apprenticeships.
In total, around 1.2 million people were in an apprenticeship programme, with more than half, or 56%, in industry and commerce, followed by crafts at 28% and the liberal professions at 9%.
Young women most frequently chose the profession of medical assistant last year, closely followed by office management clerk and dental assistant. Young men preferred to become automotive mechatronic technicians, IT specialists or electricians.
Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field that combines mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and control engineering to create intelligent systems and products.
