Fouad Kilouli is the countrywide best graduate of the 2014 examination class of luxury bag makers - a skilled trade of the saddlers guild. With his development work he now safeguards 50 jobs at a business near Frankfurt am Main.
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 necessity of the college degree is beginning to be questioned. With youth unemployment in Europe at 24 % in 2013 and thousands of graduates coming out of university every year without jobs to go into, there is an increasing feeling that there is a missing link somewhere between education and employment.
Almost a quarter of all apprenticeship contracts are terminated before completion - a rate that alarms all affected parties. This is exactly what the Berufsbildungswerk Südhessen (bbw - Vocational Training Centre South Hessen) innovative service provision addresses.
iMOVE emphasized the relevance of initial and further vocational education and training for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at an Omani-German Workshop beginning of June in Berlin. Further, iMOVE promoted the roll-out of vocational education and training jointly with German partners in the Sultanate of Oman.
More and more companies recognise benefits of an international workforce and provide training for young apprentices from southern Europe. In this way, businesses offer young people from countries with high youth unemployment sustainable employment opportunities.
