Reference year 2026
Version 2026
Drafted by Isabelle Le Mouillour, Head of Area 'VET in international comparison, research and monitoring', Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BiBB) - Member of Cedefop Community of apprenticeship experts for Germany
1Scheme history
For the origins of the dual system see question 4 of the country fiche. Significant amendments of the system were the introduction of holistic ‘learning areas’ in the VET schools in the 1990s and the establishment of two-year training programmes from the early 2000s on.
The 1969 Vocational Training Act (BBiG) was amended in 2005 and in 2020. Recent amendments led to:
• Introduction of a minimum training wage for apprentices
• Reinforcement of equivalence between vocational and academic qualifications
• Expansion of part-time vocational training to further target groups
• Facilitation of recognition of prior learning
• Reduction of red tape, especially for international mobility
For the origins of the dual system see question 4 of the country fiche. The Crafts Statute is the legal base for the German skilled crafts and their self-government. The part regulating vocational training is aligned to the Vocational Training Act.
2Beneficiaries
The dual system is open to anyone who has completed compulsory schooling. No specific target group is defined by the law, and there is no statutory age limit.
In the reporting year 2024, the average age of apprentices with a new contract was 19.9 years. The long-term trend shows that the average age has risen. This development is partly due to the growing proportion of apprentices in the dual system who are eligible for higher education. (BIBB Datenreport 2026)
1,216,560 persons were registered nationwide as apprentices in a dual vocational training programme on December 31, 2023 according to BBiG/HwO. (BIBB Datenreport 2025)
3Qualifications
The allocation of qualifications to NQF levels is based on the level descriptors following an inductive and deductive “best-fit” approach.
Vocational training preparation measures are allocated at GQF levels 1 and 2; dual VET are levels 3 and 4; Specialised qualifications at level 5; higher VET qualifications at levels 6 and 7 (2013 German EQF Referencing Report).
Cedefop’s NQF online tool presents information on the state of play of the NQF: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/nqfs-online-tool
Programme code: 03.05, ISCED 2011 level: 354
Apart from the regular apprenticeship pathway, qualifications in the dual system may be obtained through two alternative schemes.
On the one hand, exceptionally, a few qualifications can be achieved through school-based VET, which may be offered in the form of full-time instruction at regular public VET schools (Berufsfachschule) or in the form of government-sponsored courses at private training providers. This school-based track targets young people who were unable to find a regular company-based training place as well as adults who need to undergo retraining. The training programme is completed with the same chamber examination as the regular apprenticeship programme. Both options do not provide the whole range of possible apprenticeship occupations.
The second alternative route towards an apprenticeship qualification is the so-called ‘Externenprüfung’ (examination of external candidates), which means the exceptional admission of learners to the final examination at a chamber of commerce without prior formal training. Learners who give evidence of a period of relevant work experience that is at least one and a half times as long as the regular training period for the occupation in question can be admitted to the final examination. Technically this route is not an alternative training programme but a procedure for the validation and recognition of prior learning.
The names of the qualifications obtained through apprenticeship in the dual system vary between occupational sectors, however the qualifications are fully equivalent in the sense that they all require the same type of training and give evidence of the same level of professional competence. Hence the qualifications specified below can be regarded as one single type of qualification, which is why they are frequently grouped together under the generic term ‘Lehrabschluss’ (completed vocational training), which is also used in the ISCED 2011 mapping.
The qualification awarded in the sector of skilled crafts is termed ‘Gesellenbrief’ (‘journeyman’s certificate’).
The qualification awarded in the sector of engineering and industrial occupations is termed ‘Facharbeiterbrief’ (‘skilled worker’s certificate’).
The qualification awarded in business and commercial occupations is known by the neutral term ‘IHK-Prüfungszeugnis’ (certificate of final examination at the chamber of industry and commerce), which has been replacing the traditional title of ‘Kaufmannsgehilfenbrief’ (‘business clerk’s certificate’) since 2000.
All of the above-mentioned qualifications are awarded by the competent bodies according to the Vocational Training Act, i.e. the chambers of commerce, chambers of craft trades and the sectoral chambers for some business sectors.
The qualifications are based on occupational profiles defined in the training ordinances for each occupation, but they also have the status of diplomas or certificates that are recognised within the education system. Accordingly, the qualifications of the dual system may count not only as occupational but also as educational qualifications.
Unlike learners with a CVET qualification (e.g. master craftsperson), graduates of IVET programmes in the dual system do not have direct access to higher education.
However, according to the resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) of 6 March 2009 on the access of vocationally qualified learners to higher education, learners who give evidence of a completed apprenticeship (or equivalent VET programme outside the dual system) of at least two years plus three years of relevant work experience can have access to cognate higher education programmes if they pass a specific admission test. Alternatively, they may be admitted on probation for a period of one year.
The Länder have amended their higher education acts accordingly.
The training period in most occupations is 3 or 3 ½ years (36 or 42 months) depending on the occupation. The duration is specified for each occupation in the respective training ordinance (‘Ausbildungsverordnung’). Apprentices with an advanced school- leaving certificate such as the ‘Abitur’ (university entrance qualification) have the opportunity to reduce the training period by one year if the employer providing in- company training agrees.
In addition to these ‘standard’ apprenticeship programmes, apprenticeships with a duration of 2 years were introduced as a stepping stone for learners who might find a full-fledged training programme too challenging. These programmes account for about 8% of all learners enrolled in the dual system.
As explained above, each training ordinance specifies the regular duration of the programme in question (24, 36 or 42 months). However, the chambers may grant permission to conclude an apprenticeship contract that foresees a longer or shorter length of stay. The above-mentioned reduction of the training period by one year for holders of the ‘Abitur’ or equivalent is an example. In addition, the apprenticeship may be extended for a maximum of one year to enable the learner to re-take the final examination.
4Governance
The legal responsibility for dual VET lies with the Federal Government for the in- company training and with the Federal States regarding the part-time vocational schools. The social partners are involved in decision-making at all levels.
The state has transferred the task of monitoring in-company training to the competent bodies. The Vocational Education and Training Act (2020) lists the competent bodies. They include the different chambers such as the chambers of crafts and trades, the chambers of industry and commerce, the chambers of agriculture, chambers of lawyers, patent attorneys and notaries.
In Germany the term “competent body” is a legal set expression for the organisations that support and monitor the provision of in-company training. For most dual training occupations, the chambers are the competent bodies. The Federal State takes over responsibilities in steering and modernising the system.
The chambers of commerce and trade and the chambers of skilled crafts supervise the majority of dual training conducted in Germany. They are organised in a regional structure. Their umbrella organisations are the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) and the German Confederation of Chambers of Skilled Crafts (DHKT, part of the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH)).
All companies in a particular sector are compulsory, dues-paying members of the relevant chamber. The chambers run vocational training committees. Decisions are made by a General Assembly elected by all members of the chamber. The public service and religious organisations governed by public law have their own competent bodies.
According to the principle of consensus, the social partners are involved in the governance of German VET at all levels. The Vocational Training Act regulates that the social partners are involved in decision-making processes at all levels.
Under the Works Constitution Act and the Employee Representation Act, the trade unions also participate in the implementation of vocational education and training. The associations of employers represent the interests of the training companies – mostly private law entities – in which the training takes place.
Employers’ and employees’ representatives participate in the supervision of VET at the local level and in the design of curricula at the national level. According to the memorandum of understanding between the federal and Länder governments on the development of VET curricula, the employer associations and trade unions at the national level have to be consulted when a curriculum is newly developed or amended.
National level:
At national level, representatives of all stakeholders – employers, trade unions, Germany's Federal States and the Federal Government – work together on the Board of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), with each group having an equal share of votes. The Board is the executive body of BIBB and also the German government's statutory advisory body in fundamental matters regarding vocational education and training. It comments on the drafts of training regulations and framework curricula. In addition, it issues recommendations for the uniform application of the Vocational Training Act (e.g. on the structure and design of training regulations, examination requirements, competence-based approach etc.).
Federal State level:
At the level of the Federal States, representatives of the social partners and the supreme federal state authorities form the Federal State Boards, which advise the governments of the Federal States on vocational education and training issues.
Development of training regulations:
Employers and trade unions participate intensively in the development of training regulations jointly with the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in order to turn the experience from training to good practise and to heighten the acceptance of new training regulations in the enterprises providing training. This intensive cooperation applies to the entire process.
Employers as social partners:
Employers play an active part in the development of the dual apprenticeship system in a systemic way. As part of the social partnership, they are represented at all levels of the system.
• At the national level, employer representatives are members of the BIBB Board, advising the Government regarding vocational education and training.
• At the Federal State level, the employer representatives participate in the Federal State Boards for Vocational Education and Training.
• At the local level employers, are engaged in the Vocational Education and Training Committees of the chambers and in the examination committees for the single occupations.
• For the development of training regulations, the social partners appoint occupational experts among their members.
Employers’ and employees’ representatives participate in the supervision of VET at the local level and in the design of curricula at the national level. They are represented in the boards of examiners at the chambers and the VET advisory boards at the chambers.
The chambers are ‘competent bodies’ for the supervision of apprenticeships. They are responsible for registering apprenticeship contracts, monitoring employer compliance to the requirements on training companies, organising final assessments and providing advice and support to training companies.
According to the Vocational Training Act, the ‘competent bodies’ have the following tasks:
• supervise vocational training preparation, vocational training and retraining;
• maintain the directory of apprenticeships (in the skilled crafts, this is the “Apprentices’ Register”);
• employ training counsellors that advise the enterprises on all training issues;
• run a register of trained training staff, take the exam for the aptitude of the training staff;
• assess the quality of the training facility;
• conduct the intermediate and final examinations or journeyman examinations and
• monitor and support mobility periods abroad of apprentices and learners.
Legal requirements for companies providing training:
In order to be able to train under the apprenticeship scheme, companies need to prove that they are suitable as a training facility and that they employ qualified in-company trainers. They have to sign a training contract with the apprentice. Before the training starts, the company has to develop an in-company training plan that fulfils the requirements of the training regulation. These formal prerequisites are monitored by the chambers.
Regional/local level:
At regional/local level, the competent bodies set up Vocational Education and Training Committees with six representatives each from trade unions, employers and teachers at vocational schools. Those committees must be informed and heard in all important matters concerning vocational education and training.
Employer and employee representatives as well as vocational teachers also form the examination committees at the competent bodies.
The youth organisation of the German trade union confederation (DGB Jugend) publishes on a yearly basis its own apprenticeship report (Ausbildungsreport)
Inter-company vocational training centres (überbetriebliche Berufsbildungsstätten, Überbetriebliche Lehrlingsunterweisung in the skilled trade sectors) are operated mainly by public law bodies (municipalities, chambers and guilds) or non-profit private law bodies (trade associations).
Companies:
It is a fundamental feature of the system that companies assume the responsibility for training young people. They offer training places on a voluntary basis, but in-company training itself is regulated through the Vocational Training Act and the training regulations for single training occupations. Companies assume legal responsibility towards the apprentices on the basis of the apprenticeship training contracts within the scope of existing work legislation. They are supported in their tasks by the relevant chambers, which also provide quality control / assurance.
Partners in the Alliance of initial and further training systematically promote apprenticeships. The Alliance is overarching to single campaigns, platforms etc., with its activities addressing all stakeholders (companies, but also families and decision-makers).
Stakeholder Cooperation in Germany: The governance of the dual apprenticeship system in Germany is a joint task of the state, social partners and business and trade organisations. The Federal Government is responsible for the in-company part of the training, and the Federal States run the vocational schools. The involvement of social partners in decision-making processes at all levels is regulated in the Vocational Training Act.
Federal Government:
The Federal Government defines the legal framework for the in-company part of initial vocational education and training through laws and regulations. Within the government, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is responsible for the general policy for vocational education and training, e.g. the Vocational Training Act, training regulations and the implementation of programmes to foster vocational education and training. The single federal ministries are responsible for the enactment of the training regulations in their competence areas. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) bears responsibility for most training occupations. Approval from the BMBF is necessary in order to enact a training regulation.
Federal States:
The Federal States run the part-time vocational schools (Berufsschulen). The 16 Federal States have responsibility for legislation and administration in the areas of education, science and culture (cultural sovereignty). The distribution of legislative competence between the Federal Government and the Federal States is defined in the Basic Law (1949). Training provided in vocational schools is governed by education acts at the level of the Federal States. The federal state ministers responsible coordinate their policies in the “Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK)”.
The main VET providers are private and public organisations offering apprenticeship placements. Around 402.800 enterprises are offering apprenticeship training, which represents around 19% of enterprises with at least one employee subject to social insurance contributions. 159,517 are micro-enterprises (fewer than 9 employees), 388,261 are small and medium-sized enterprises (10-249 employees) and 14,572 are large enterprises (more than 250 employees) (Datenreport 2025). Companies have to fulfil legal and regulatory requirements to offer apprenticeship.
Vocational training staff are an extremely heterogeneous group of people. The apprenticeship system differentiates between in-company and school-based training staff. This includes company trainers and instructors, as well as training specialists, training staff at inter-company training centres, teaching staff at vocational schools. Training staff also often perform tasks as examiners in the examination boards of the relevant authorities. The qualification pathways are equally diverse, ranging from pedagogical qualifications through professional experience to university studies.
School-based training staff include vocational school teachers and teachers of practical subjects. They teach part-time vocational school classes in parallel with in-company training, which, according to the distribution of powers under the German Basic Law, is the responsibility of the federal states. Vocational school teachers of technical theory and general education subjects represent the largest group of teachers at vocational schools. Their exact designation (teaching at vocational schools, certified commercial teacher, etc.) varies according to the respective state law. They have completed a university degree and a teaching internship. Teachers of practical subjects usually have a vocational qualification (e.g. master craftsman, technician, specialist (Berufsbildungspersonal | BIBB; Datenreport 2025).
For more detailed information, you can also see Cedefop’s activities on VET teachers and trainers: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/themes/vet-youth-teachers-trainers
The Vocational Training Act (BBiG) provides for the collection of vocational training statistics. In accordance with its section 87, these statistics serve to support the planning and organisation of vocational apprenticeship training. The data collection and processing programme must be designed, in consultation with the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), in such a way that the data collected can be used for the purposes of planning and organising vocational apprenticeship training within the scope of the respective responsibilities. The data collected is used by the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ) to continuously monitor developments in VET.
The ‘Vocational Education and Training Report’ (Berufsbildungsbericht) is published annually by 1 April. It is accompanied by the BIBB’s ‘Data Report on the Vocational Education and Training Report’ (Datenreport zum Berufsbildungsbericht).
BIBB uses further companies’ surveys, surveys of applicants for apprenticeship places, school leavers, and vocational training experts. Unlike many other countries where school-based VET is the norm, in Germany, in addition to participation, completion and placement rates for apprenticeship programmes, the ‘first threshold’ – that is, the transition from general education to VET – is also closely monitored as a critical point (BIBB 2017).
The competent authority must establish and maintain a register of apprenticeship contracts (BBiG; Section 34) for recognised apprenticeship occupations. The data collected is transmitted to the Federal Employment Agency to improve the placement of apprentices, to enhance the reliability and timeliness of apprenticeship placement statistics, and to improve the assessment of supply and demand in the apprenticeship market.
Companies are obliged to provide the information and documents necessary for monitoring and to permit inspections of the training premises (Section 76 BBiG). The chambers’ monitoring activities relate to the proper conduct of the apprenticeship training. This includes, for example, suitability to provide training, compliance with the training regulations and the company training plan, the application of the relevant regulations, or the fulfilment of requirements to remedy deficiencies.
Based on a cost model developed in 1974 by the Expert Commission on Costs and Financing of VET, the BIBB has been surveying apprenticeship companies since the early 1980s regarding their costs and the benefits they derive from training. A total of seven surveys were conducted for the years 1980, 1991, 2000, 2007 and the training years 2012/13, 2017/18 and 2022/2023 (Costs and benefits of training from an employer’s perspective | BIBB).
Other: The youth organisation of the German trade union confederation (DGB Jugend) publishes on a yearly basis its own apprenticeship report (Ausbildungsreport)
5Training at the workplace
According the Vocational Training Act, vocational education and training takes place:
1. in enterprises and similar organisations;
2. in VET schools; and
3. in other institutions such as inter-company training centres.
Cooperation between the above-mentioned learning venues is mandatory.
According to the KMK agreement on VET schools (agreement between the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Federal States and Federal Government), schooling within the dual system is organised as part-time instruction, which may take place every week or in ‘blocks’ of one or more weeks followed by one or more weeks at the workplace.
The schedule for the lessons is drawn up by the Länder authorities, taking into consideration the regional and local needs.
The minimum amount of schooling is 12 hours per week, 8 of which must be allocated to the vocational discipline while the remainder consists of general subjects.
The details are specified in the curriculum documents for the different training programmes.
The contents of the framework training curriculum for the in-company training and the framework school curriculum for the vocational schools are coordinated during the elaboration of the training regulation. This ensures that in-company training and vocational school education complement one another.
The coordination procedure is regulated in an agreement between the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) of the Federal States and Federal Government (“joint memorandum”).
Training regulations issued for each training occupation include framework curricula for the school and the in-company training. Both curricula are jointly designed to be coherent in their sequences and avoid duplications.
The curricula for the vocational schools are based on the framework curriculum. For the in-company training, the company has to “translate” the framework training curriculum of an occupation into the in-company training plan for each apprentice.
Ideally, in-company trainers and vocational school teachers maintain steady communication on the learning progress of the apprentice, using for instance the apprentice’s record book. The extent of the cooperation is not regulated and depends on the commitment of the involved persons.
According to the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Vocational Training Ordinance (HWO), vocational competence (berufliche Handlungsfähigkeit; BBiG §1) is developed through the acquisition of skills (Fertigkeiten), knowledge (Kenntnisse) and abilities (Fertigkeiten).
The structure of training regulations is based on the understanding of competence underlying the German Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (DQR): ‘In the DQR, competence refers to the individual’s ability and willingness to apply knowledge and skills, as well as personal, social and methodological abilities, and to behave in a considered, individual and socially responsible manner. In this sense, competence is understood as comprehensive practical competence’.
In the DQR, competence is presented in the dimensions of technical competence, subdivided into knowledge and skills, and personal competence, subdivided into social competence and autonomy. Methodological competence is understood as a cross-cutting competence and is therefore not specifically listed in the DQR matrix. (HA160.pdf).
In 2020, four modernised standard occupational profile items were introduced: 1) Organisation of the training company, vocational training and labour and collective bargaining law, 2) Health and safety at work, 3) Environmental protection and sustainability, 4) The digitalised world of work. “Standard occupational profile items are educational policy instruments that are regulated in the training regulations within the training framework plan; they are to be taught throughout the entire training period and are to be understood as minimum requirements” (HA172.pdf). To integrate international vocational competence into training regulations, the BIBB has created the ‘Competence Toolkit’, a practice-oriented support tool for the development of training regulations. The three dimensions of international vocational competence are international technical skills, intercultural skills and foreign language skills (International vocational competence).
Training regulations issued for each training occupation include framework curricula for the school and the in-company training. Both curricula are jointly designed to be coherent in their sequences and avoid duplications.For the in-company training, the company has to “translate” the framework training curriculum of an occupation into the in-company training plan for each apprentice.
The employer is required to take care that the apprentice is equipped with the professional competence they need to complete the training programme successfully. To this end, the employer must see to it that the training is carried out according to a proper schedule and organised in such a way that the learning objectives can be attained within the agreed training period.
In-company training plan (Betrieblicher Ausbildungsplan):
The training company has to draw up an in-company training plan based on the syllabus and timetable stated in the training regulation (framework training plan).
The in-company training plan is based on the company’s infrastructure and work processes and gives an indicative timeframe of topics that have to be covered over the duration of the apprenticeship. The in-company training plan is a vehicle via which apprentices and company staff agree on the allocation of learning objectives in time sequence.
The employer must either be personally fit and technically competent to train on his/her own, or designate a qualified trainer to do so.
Training companies must be suitable for implementing a training programme at their own premises but may delegate specific training activities to other companies or training centres if some part of an occupational profile is not covered by their own business operations. They also have to provide the means that are necessary for the apprentices to pursue their training, especially tools and working materials.
Legal requirements:
In order to offer training, a company is required to prove its suitability as a training facility and that it employs in-company trainers with the required personal and professional qualifications. The verification of this “training competence” is the responsibility of the competent bodies (see also Q20). The company is suitable as a training facility if it can enable the apprentice to learn all the skills, knowledge and abilities listed in the training regulation for the in-company training part. Suitability also covers the technical equipment of the training company required to comply with the specification of the training regulation. In-company trainers have to prove their qualification to train by passing the trainer aptitude test conducted by a competent body. Before the beginning of the apprenticeship, the training employer and the future apprentice sign a training contract under private law.
In-company training staff: The Vocational Training Act (BBiG, Section 28) requires the training company to employ a qualified in-company trainer. Such a person must be personally and professionally suited to the role of a trainer. Professional aptitude encompasses both the occupational skills, knowledge and competences required for the respective occupation and relevant occupational and vocational teaching qualifications.
• Occupational aptitude is deemed to be in place if the person has a qualification as skilled worker in the subject area or a similar qualification and has adequate work experience. The proof of vocational aptitude of the trainer is part of the necessary information to register an apprentice with the competent body (mostly the chamber).
• Pedagogical training is usually demonstrated via a n examination in accordance with the Ordinance on Trainer Aptitude (AEVO). The Board of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) recommends a duration of 115 hours for a AEVO preparation course and has issued a framework curriculum.
The trainer qualification is also integrated into the master craftsman examination.
Within the sphere of responsibility of the trainer, other skilled workers can be assigned training tasks on a limited-time basis alongside their occupational activities. In this case, the Vocational Training Act only requires them to have a professional qualification.
Demonstration of vocational teaching aptitude pursuant to the AEVO is not necessary. To support in-company trainers, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training offers information and materials for the individual training occupations and operates internet platforms for in-company trainers and examination committee members.
Advanced Qualifications for in-company trainers are available. They have high potential for current VET challenges but lack of company take-up:
• geprüfter Aus- und Weiterbildungpädagog/in (IVET/CVET pedagogue), EQF 6, chamber certified qualification)
• geprüfter Berufspädagog/in (occupational pedagogue), EQF 7, chamber certified qualification or university master).
In 2023, a total of 626,106 in-company trainers were registered throughout Germany in the fields of industry and commerce (47.4%), skilled trades (31.6%), liberal professions (13.8%) agriculture, public service, and home economics. Most of the company trainers perform their role on a part-time basis and are supported by many other training professionals.
There is no sanction that explicitly relates to training at the workplace. However, companies that do not comply with the general requirements mentioned above (Q28) may be prohibited from hiring and training apprentices.
6Contract and compensation
The contract between learner and employer is governed by the labour legislation unless specified otherwise in the Vocational Training Act, which means that in principle the learner has the status of an employee.
However, the Vocational Training Act assigns some specific rights and duties to the apprentices. Apprentices have the duty to develop their professional competence and to contribute to the successful completion of the training programme, in particular by performing training tasks as instructed and attending training measures they are assigned to.
Apprentices are entitled to paid leave in order to attend their classes at the VET school as well as external courses, if applicable.
Any employer who hires a person for the purpose of apprenticeship is obliged to conclude an apprenticeship contract with that person.
The apprenticeship contract is concluded between the employer (training enterprise) and the learner.
The contract, which must be in writing, must specify the occupation in which the learner is to be trained and draw up a training schedule (in-company training plan).
Moreover, it must include provisions on the training period, working and training hours, training measures outside the company (if any), salary and paid leave.
According to the Vocational Training Act, apprenticeship contracts are a special type of contract to which the provisions of the Labour Code apply ‘unless specified otherwise’.
The German social security system provides protection to all workers including apprentices. Starting with the apprenticeship contract, the learner is enrolled in the mandatory insurance programs covering healthcare, retirement, unemployment, accidents, and long-term care.
Each competent body (i.e. chamber) is required by the law to operate a register of apprenticeship contracts for its district. The information entered in the register includes the personal data of the apprentice, the name and contact details of the employer, the occupation in which the apprentice is to be trained, and the period for which the contract is concluded.
Under the Vocational Training Act (Section 17), apprenticeship enterprises are obliged to pay an appropriate apprenticeship allowance. In 2020, a minimum apprenticeship allowance was introduced (Section 17 of the Vocational Training Act), which sets the lower limit for appropriate remuneration. The allowance (‘Vergütung’ according to the wording of the Vocational Training Act) is determined by collective agreements and depends on the occupation and the sector. Employers who are not a member of any of the employer associations so that the collective agreements are not binding for them may still choose to pay the amounts fixed therein on a voluntary basis.
The salary is provided for the whole duration of the training. According to the Vocational Training Act, apprentices are entitled to the salary also during the periods in the vocational school as well as during their preparation for the final examination.
The wage is determined by collective agreements and depends on the occupational sector.
Employers who are not a member of any of the employer associations so that the collective agreements are not binding for them may still choose to pay the amounts fixed therein on a voluntary basis, but they are also free to pay a salary which is lower.
As of 1 October 2024, the average collectively agreed apprenticeship allowance stood at €1,133 per month. This represented a significant increase of 6.3% compared with the previous year. In October 2025, the BIBB published the minimum training allowance rates for 2026 in accordance with the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the statutory adjustment mechanism. For apprentices in dual vocational training occupations under the BBiG or the Crafts and Trades Regulation Code who begin their training between 1 January and 31 December 2026, the minimum remuneration in the first year of training will increase by about 6.2%. This means that the following minimum monthly remuneration rates will apply: EUR 724 in the first year of training, EUR 854 in the second, EUR 977 in the third, and EUR 1 014 in the fourth year of training. In companies bound by collective labour agreements, the training allowance is mostly above the minimum rates.
Developments in collectively agreed wages are reflected to a certain extent in apprenticeship allowances. In some sectors, above-average increases have been agreed in recent years to boost the attractiveness of apprenticeships. An analysis of 175 occupations shows that in 66 of them, the collectively agreed training allowances were below the national average of €1,133. High monthly collective agreement training allowances of €1,200 and above were paid on average in 50 occupations. The top spot was taken by the occupation of pipeworker in the industry and commerce training sector, with €1,349, followed by the agricultural occupation of dairy technologist at €1,347 and the skilled trade occupation of carpenter at €1,343. Also included were the occupations of bricklayer (€1,330), tile, slab and mosaic layer (€1,319), road builder (€1,308) and concrete and reinforced concrete builder (€1,304). The professions of road builder (€1,322), courier, express and postal services specialist (€1,301) and bank clerk (€1,300), three occupations from industry and commerce were in the top group (Datenreport 2025).
7Financing and incentives
Companies participate voluntarily in apprenticeship training and bear its costs.
Companies enter an apprenticeship contract with their apprentices and pay them an allowance based on a collective bargaining agreement
Funding Arrangements in Germany:
In the German apprenticeship system, initial and continuing VET is based on mixed financing by various public and private bodies. The training companies finance the in- company training. The Federal States fund the vocational schools (mainly teaching staff salaries) and the local authorities’ equipment and infrastructures. The Federal Government finances measures for the improvement and promotion of the apprenticeship system.
Companies:
Companies participate voluntarily in apprenticeship training and bear its costs. Companies enter an apprenticeship contract with their apprentices and pay them an allowance based on a collective bargaining agreement. Personnel costs for the apprentices account for the predominant share with an average of 62% of the in- company training costs.
Employers also cover the operational costs for in-company training and the fees for the chambers.
If a company refrains from providing in-company training, it has no levies to pay.
Training levy in the construction sector:
Only at a sectoral or occupational level, e.g. in the construction sector and the chimney sweepers branch, do all companies finance a branch training fund that benefits training companies.
For example, based on a decision of the social partners, the construction sector introduced a training levy in 1976. All companies of the sector have to pay the levy. The amount is settled in the collective bargaining agreement. The levy is used to finance all inter-company training and a large part of the in-company training.
There are frequent calls – especially from the unions – to extend this model to other branches or to introduce a general training levy.
Public funds:
Public funds are allocated by the Federal Ministries of Education and Research, Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Labour and Social Affairs, the Federal
Employment Agency and the Federal States. Those expenses are linked to the development, improvement, execution and promotion of apprenticeship, e.g. via support programmes or measures for guidance and counselling.
Inter-company training centres and chambers:
Inter-company vocational training centres (überbetriebliche Berufsbildungsstätten, Überbetriebliche Lehrlingsunterweisung in the skilled trade sectors) are operated mainly by public law bodies (municipalities, chambers and guilds) or non-profit private law bodies (trade associations). There is a mixed financing, with subsidies from the federal employment agency, the Federal Government (capital grants from the Federal Ministry for Education and Research) and the states added to the resources of the responsible body. The chambers obtain their funding through the dues of the compulsory member companies. They can also charge the companies fees for the examinations and the registration of an apprenticeship.
There are no financial incentives in general, however, apprenticeship places may be subsidised by the federal government or the Länder governments under the provisions of the Social Security Code.
Grants for the training of vulnerable target groups:
Under certain circumstances, companies can receive a grant from the employment agency to finance a part of the training allowance of disabled apprentices or for creating additional training places for disadvantaged young people. There are also programmes of the Federal States which offer grants to companies that train disadvantaged young people, single parents, apprentices that lost their training place due to company closure, or to women in typically “male-dominated” occupations.
If a company is not able to cover the entire necessary training content, it can send its apprentices to courses at inter-company vocational training centres. There is also the option to form a training alliance with other companies. Both these approaches can be supported through public funding.
Partners in the Alliance of initial and further training systematically promote apprenticeships. The Alliance is overarching to single campaigns, platforms etc., with its activities addressing all stakeholders (companies, but also families and decision-makers).
Incentives understood as supportive measures to enterprises offering apprenticeships exist. Those might address the company training staff (online platforms, guidelines for implementation of training regulations) or the company management (platform for recruiting apprentices).
Those platforms might be run by the Federal / regional states or by the competent bodies.
Chamber support for companies providing training:
The chambers are ‘competent bodies’ for the supervision of apprenticeships. They are responsible for registering apprenticeship contracts, monitoring employer compliance to the requirements on training companies, organising final assessments and providing advice and support to training companies.
Chambers employ training counsellors who provide support and give advice to training companies. If a company is not able to cover the entire necessary training content, it can send its apprentices to courses at inter-company vocational training centres. There is also the option to form a training alliance with other companies. Both these approaches can be supported through public funding.
Both individuals and training companies can be supported within the framework of “Assisted Vocational Training” (Assistierte Ausbildung AsA), which aims to help more young people with support needs to successfully complete in-company vocational training in the dual system. The company has a permanent training supervisor at its disposal.
Particularly small craft businesses often lack the resources and expertise for public relations and marketing, as well as modern recruitment techniques. The ‘Next level trade’ project shows how companies can attract apprentices via social media. The ‘modern craft campaign’ offers concrete support for public relations and image cultivation. Companies can access a range of resources, such as a toolbox of advertising measures, templates for youth recruitment, social media posts, a picture and film database on skilled craft trades and a modular event system to support their events.
According to the Vocational Training Act, apprentices are entitled to the salary also during the periods in the vocational school as well as during their preparation for the final examination.
Learners who give evidence of a period of relevant work experience that is at least one and a half times as long as the regular training period for the occupation in question can be admitted to the final examination (the so-called ‘Externenprüfung’ (examination of external candidates) without taking formal training.
The option for Part-time training (Teilzeit-Berufsausbildung) is enshrined in the Vocational Training Act (BBIG) since 2005. The Act to Modernize and Strengthen Vocational Education and Training (Vocational Training Modernisation Act) expanded the options for part-time vocational training from January 1, 2020. Part-time vocational training is thus to be "opened up to a larger group of people and at the same time made more attractive". Target groups of part-time vocational training:
• - Women who are expecting a child
• - Mothers and fathers with younger children
• - People who are caring for relatives
• - People with health impairments or disabilities
• - People who need additional remedial instruction or a German course
• - People from abroad
• - Trainees who want or need to be gainfully employed on the side.
The Employment Agency offers learners a monthly allowance (Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe (BAB)) during training. To receive vocational training assistance, one of the following cases must apply:
• - the learner takes part in a vocational preparation programme (Berufsvorbereitende Bildungsmaßnahme, BvB) and, under certain circumstances, prepares for a secondary school leaving certificate or equivalent school leaving certificate during this time.
• - the learner undergoes in-company or external vocational training in a recognized training occupation, and the training company is too far away from place of residence.
• - the learner undergoes in-company or external vocational training in a recognized training occupation, and is over 18 years old or married or live with a partner.
• - the learner undergoes in-company or external vocational training in a recognized training occupation and has at least one child and does not live with his/her parents.
- in the training preparation phase of an assisted training programme (AsA).
If one has a disability, special rules apply to entitlement to vocational training assistance.
Guidance:
Guidance and counselling in the education sector mainly focuses on vocational orientation, guidance on VET paths or individual learning difficulties. Services vary between States and schools. School career orientation (also part of the general education curricula) and the local employment agencies’ vocational guidance services cooperate closely, e.g. with visits to the local employment agency, to enterprises and by compulsory 1- to 3-week work placements in companies in grades 8, 9 or 10. The umbrella initiative Educational chains leading to vocational qualifications (Abschluss und Anschluss - Bildungsketten bis zum Ausbildungsabschluss) gathers existing and new programmes at Federal, State and local levels (e.g. the vocational orientation programme BOP).
Guidance is provided for instance via the online platform “meinBeruf” of the PES agencies (meinBERUF | Bundesagentur für Arbeit). Since 2010 so-called youth vocation agencies (Jugendberufsagenturen) are run by PES in cooperation with Federal ministries and local competent bodies. Those youth agencies aim at easing the transition from school to work. Zynd is a digital portal for career guidance and transition support, based on a playlets approach (Wie wir dir helfen!?).
Both individuals and training companies can be supported within the framework of “Assisted Vocational Training” (Assistierte Ausbildung AsA), which aims to help more young people with support needs to successfully complete in-company vocational training in the dual system. The support refers to both before (preliminary phase) and during (accompanying phase) in-company vocational training. Assisted Vocational Training serves to reduce language and educational deficits, to promote specialized practice and theory, and includes socio-pedagogical support. The company has a permanent training supervisor at its disposal.
Examples of online information and guidance tools include the offers of the federal employment agency addressing different age groups and situations, Berufenavi und Berufswahlsapp, zynd, AusbildungPlus, studienwahl.de, bildungsserver.de, InfoWebWeiterbildung, iwwb.de
Awareness raising, guidance before joining apprenticeships
The Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth launched in February 2026 its flagship initiative for a strong vocational training that attracts and trains skilled workers. The initiative has two key guiding principles: 1) bringing together businesses and apprentices, and 2) promoting vocational training as driver for a skilled labour force and opportunities. The initiative bundles single projects.
Partners in the Alliance of initial and further training have systematically promoted apprenticeships. There are nationwide events, campaigns and online formats. Examples:
- The German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IHK) promote apprenticeships through large-scale media campaigns, local training advisor counselling, and vocational guidance initiatives.
- the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts is supporting the 53 chambers of skilled crafts in Germany with an image campaign, running on popular social media platforms, podcasts, through hands-on activities like several skilled craft competitions for young people, and events, such as the Day of Crafts
- Summer of VET #AusbildungSTARTEN – Start an apprenticeship!) and in face-to-face formats on the various topics, e.g. prospects of an apprenticeship, searching for and finding a training place, funding opportunities
For more information on guidance and validation arrangements in the country, you may visit Cedefop’ inventory of lifelong guidance systems and practices and Cedefop’s information hub on validation.