Training alliance: Overcoming obstacles so that refugees can work

The partners in the training alliance aim to do their bit to ensure that refugees can begin training or work as swiftly as possible. At a meeting, stakeholders have specified what support they need. "We are acting now," said Federal Education Minister Johanna Wanka.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Sigmar Gabriel, Federal Education Minister Johanna Wanka and the other partners that make up the training alliance met in Berlin to discuss how best to integrate refugees.

The meeting aimed to identify the wishes of all partners involved in the alliance, with regard to what is urgently needed to foster integration, reported Sigmar Gabriel. The federal and state governments are to consult further. This will include ensuring German language courses for people in reception centres. School and professional qualifications are also to be recorded there. The Federal Employment Agency is already working in many facilities to do just this.

German language teaching must continue at schools and in further training centres, because refugees cannot become properly integrated on the labour market until they speak the language, pointed out Sigmar Gabriel.

After successfully completing a training course, young refugees are to be given a two-year work permit. Individuals over the age of 21 are also to be allowed to start a training course. The legal position already ensures that young refugees will be allowed to stay in Germany for the duration of their training course. The trainees and the companies training them can rest assured that they will be legally allowed to complete their training. The new legal provisions on residency clearly stipulate this.

"We are not taking in these people because we need workers, but because they need protection," said Sigmar Gabriel. In view of demographic developments in Germany, there are excellent prospects if a large number of these new arrivals can be trained as skilled specialists or encouraged to start up their own businesses. More than half of the people arriving in Germany are under 25.

"We are not going to wait until we have more money. We are acting now," underlined Federal Education Minister Johanna Wanka. Successful education and training projects that are especially well suited to supporting migrants are available.

The same assistance will be made available to all, added Federal Government Commissioner for Integration Aydan Özoğuz.

Apps and learning assistants are to help refugees learn German. During this parliament, the Federal Ministry of Education will spend up to 180 million euros on promoting literacy projects. In conjunction with the German Adult Education Association new course concepts are being created, along with self-study opportunities, some of which use smartphones. The programmes and projects are open to refugees in order to help them learn German.

The skills of school pupils can be analysed at Grade 8 level using specific potential analyses. The programme "education chains" is already making this tool available to 500,000 young people.

As of January 2016 (rather than as of August 2016 as originally planned) young refugees with tolerated residence status will be able to obtain financial support to help them undertake dual vocational training, in the form of training loans, a vocational training support grant and the new assisted training scheme. To qualify for support they must have been in Germany for 15 months, rather than the four years required to date. The Cabinet launched the pertinent legal changes in August 2015.

The KAUSA programme, sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, supports both companies willing to train young people from a migrant background and the young people themselves. The KAUSA (the training and migration coordination unit) service points are also open to asylum-seekers and refugees.

Since 1 August 2015 it has been easier for asylum-seekers and individuals with tolerated residence status to undertake internships. Under the new provisions, the Federal Employment Agency is no longer required to approve each internship. The changes came into effect as of 1 August. Nor is the Federal Employment Agency now required to authorise asylum-seekers or individuals with tolerated residence status before they can begin in-company vocational training. The situation regarding employment is different.

Practical placements and internships make it easier for refugees to have their professional qualifications recognised when they have no papers.

On 12 December 2014 the German government, the leading business associations, trade unions, the federal states and the Federal Employment Agency together founded the training alliance, which replaced the national pact for training and skilled workers. The partners involved in the new "alliance" aim to work together to strengthen vocational education and training.