In order to provide today's young people with practically related training and with a good foundation for their future working lives, the contents of dual training occupations, which number approximately 350, need to be kept completely up-to-date at all times and aligned to the work processes and requirements within companies.

The Board of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has issued an Official Statement regarding a decision taken by the Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK) at the end of November.

When selecting applicants for training places, enterprises have different means for getting an idea of whether the individual candidate is suitable for the targeted vocational training. Most base their assessments on the grades listed on half-yearly certificates or leaving certificates from secondary school.

The Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) will cooperate with WorldSkills International and WorldSkills Germany. The aim is to strengthen world-wide the awareness for the decisive contribution of vocational education to development and the achieving of economic and personal success.

In order to cover the health industry's future demand for commercially educated managers with organisational skills, the state-recognised further training towards becoming a "Business Administrator in the Health and Social Sector" was introduced on January 1, 2012.

The number of businesses providing placements for dual study courses in cooperation with a university or university of cooperative education has grown rapidly.

The German Federal Minister of Education and Research, Annette Schavan, appreciated the results of the new training funding report as a "good sign for the future capability of our country and a clear signal in combating educational poverty and the skilled labour shortage."

In spite of the significant decline in applicant numbers, the apprenticeship market continues to expand: At the end of November, the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce recorded about 344,000 new apprenticeship contracts.