Achim Dercks, Deputy Managing Director of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), regards the further development of the 'European Alliance for Apprenticeship' as planned by the European Commission as indispensable for promoting youth employment in Europe.
The dramatically high youth unemployment rate of more than 21 per cent in Europe is not only due to the economic and financial crisis, Dercks said at the 2nd German-French Vocational Education and Training Day of the German Chamber of Commerce Abroad (AHK) on 15 April 2015 in Paris, but can also be attributed to inefficient education systems and neglected vocational education and training reforms in numerous European Union (EU) countries.
He pointed out the relatively low youth unemployment rate of 7 to nearly 11 per cent in countries such as Germany, Austria and Denmark, which are characterised by a strong system of in-company vocational education and training that is the collaborative responsibility of businesses, chambers and other industry partners.
By contrast, South European countries achieve unemployment rates of more than 30 per cent and up to 51 per cent in Spain also due to the weak structures of their vocational education and training systems.
Dercks acknowledged the EU Commission's approach to promote practice-oriented and in-house vocational and advanced training in all Member States by way of a reinforced 'European Alliance for Apprenticeship'.
In Paris, the DIHK Deputy Managing Director explained to government and industry representatives from France and Germany the five key aspects as identified by the DIHK for successful vocational education and training and resulting in good employment prospects for young people in the employment market:
- co-determination of businesses in designing vocational education and training
- businesses and vocational colleges as equal sites of learning
- technical and personal qualification of trainers and teachers
- quality assurance provided by an industry-related institution, for example, a chamber
- nationally comparable training curricula and examinations
He spoke in favour of adopting these elements into the 'European Alliance for Apprenticeship' and of initiating their national implementation through the EU Commission especially in the EU countries that are afflicted by high youth unemployment rates.
DIHK Deputy Managing Director emphasised that German and European chambers of industry and commerce are ready to support corresponding reforms of vocational education and training systems in Europe with their know-how and experience.