Germany - vocational training for the highly talented - A success story

The scholarship programme Stiftung für Begabtenförderung (foundation supporting the gifted and talented) for young vocational graduates was established over 20 years ago. Since then, around 96 000 young professionals in Germany have profited from support towards their professional qualifications.

The scholarship, funded by the Ministry of Education and Research, supports talented young professionals in their first years after apprenticeship independent of their chosen educational path, so they can transform their talent into top performance.

The Karlsruhe Chamber of Crafts has been involved in implementing this sponsorship programme since the beginning. Since 1991, 600 young professionals from the chamber's district have been granted scholarships and about 1.5 million euro has been spent on their continuing training.

Scholarships are available to graduates of dual vocational education and training courses who are younger than 25 years when accepted into the programme. To qualify, they have to attain a final apprenticeship examination result of 1.9 ('good') or better, participate successfully in a cross-regional skill competition or be nominated by either an enterprise or their vocational school.

Grants of up to 6 000 euros over three years may be paid, while scholarship holders pay ten per cent of eligible costs.

In 2014, the Karlsruhe Chamber of Crafts accepted 25 young professionals into the programme. The Karlsruhe Chamber of Crafts has 80 000 euros at its disposal from the Stiftung für Begabtenförderung for the current class of scholarship holders.