Training chances for young migrants continue to fall

During the period from 2004 to 2016, young migrants were significantly less successful in securing a training place than young people not from a migrant background. In 2016, only 29% of training place applicants from a migrant background progressed to dual vocational education and training as compared to 47% of their counterparts not from a migrant background. Significantly higher progression rates of 35% were recorded for young migrants in 2010 and 2012. By 2016, these had fallen back to the very low level experienced in 2004. The above figures have emerged from a current analysis conducted by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) on the basis of surveys of young people displaying apprenticeship entry maturity and registered with the Federal Employment Agency (BA) as training place applicants (BA/BIBB Applicant Surveys 2004 to 2016).

Although applicants from a migrant background in all cases exhibit lower general school leaving qualifications than young people not from a migrant background between the years 2004 and 2016, it can by no means be stated that these lesser school-leaving achievements are the sole reason for their poorer chances of progressing to training. Even with the same school leaving qualification, young migrants were much less likely to progress to dual training. In 2016, even young migrants in possession of a higher education entrance qualification were less likely to have found a training place than young people not from a migrant background and with a lower secondary school leaving certificate.

Within the group of applicants from a migrant background, there are also major differences according to region of origin. Young people whose families come from Turkey or Arab countries experience particular difficulty in securing a training place. In 2016, only 22% of applicants from a Turkish or Arab background successfully entered dual training. By way of contrast, 30% of young people originating from Eastern European countries or from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and 27% of those of Southern European origin were successful in their attempt to find a training place.

In 2016, most applicants from a migrant background undertook very considerable endeavours to secure a training place. They made frequent enquiries to companies regarding training places on offer and submitted large numbers of written applications, often for a series of different occupations. Nevertheless, they were significantly less likely to be invited to interviews or recruitment tests than young people not from a migrant background.

In overall terms, the group of applicants from a migrant background underwent significant change during the period from 2004 to 2016. Increasing numbers of young migrants have been born in Germany. This applied to 65% of applicants in 2016. They are increasingly likely to have learned German as their first language during childhood. In 2016, German was the native language of 67% of young people from a migrant background. They are also increasingly likely to hold German nationality, the figure for 2016 being 60%.

The number of applicants from a migrant background as a proportion of all registered applicants rose from 20% in 2004 to 29% in 2016. In 2016, only a very small number of the large numbers of young people who fled to Germany in 2015 and 2016 were registered with the Federal Employment Agency (BA) as training place applicants. This group is, therefore, virtually unrepresented in the survey data on which the BIBB analysis is based.

The BIBB report concludes that considerable endeavours will need to be made regarding the vocational training of young refugees over the course of the coming years. It particular, however, it also arrives at the view that there needs to be a significant improvement in training opportunities within the dual system for the large numbers of young migrants who were born in Germany or who have lived in the country for a considerable time.

The specialist article prepared to accompany this analysis, “Training chances of applicants from a migrant background – current situation 2016 and development since 2004”, is available (in German) on the BIBB website at www.bibb.de/veroeffentlichungen/de/publication/show/8331

A graphic is available for download at www.bibb.de/pressefotos.

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