Vocational growth - At the start of training, many positions are still unfilled
At the start of the training year, employers and master craftsmen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are reportedly having a hard time finding apprentices in numerous places. According to the Regional Directorate North of the Federal Labor Agency, there were approximately 3,900 apprenticeship positions vacant at the end of June.
This means that nearly half of the 8,400 apprenticeships reported by companies and institutions remained unfilled. At the same time, around 2,500 young people who had registered for vocational counseling were still not placed.
While most high school graduates begin their apprenticeships on September 2nd, the training year starts earlier in some industries on August 1st. The latest employment market data are expected to be released on July 31st.
However, it is becoming apparent that the largest gaps will once again be in the retail sector and the hospitality industry. For instance, there were approximately 600 vacant apprenticeships in retail. There were 125 applicants missing for the cook's training and around 200 future hotel and restaurant professionals. In sought-after professions like Automotive Mechatronics, about 70 positions were unfilled.
Regional Director Markus Biercher of the Federal Labor Agency stated that the training market in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern offers numerous opportunities for finding a suitable apprenticeship and employer by autumn. However, it is particularly challenging in a sparsely populated region to bring supply and demand together as effectively as possible.
Biercher encouraged young people to register with the Youth Vocational Agencies and vocational counseling: "They will receive valuable tips and guidance for a successful application."
Industry and Commerce Chamber Optimistic
"There is generally a need in almost all companies, especially in the logistics, machinery, and tourism sectors," said Peter Todt, the acting managing director of the Industry and Commerce Chamber Schwerin. The companies organized under the IHKs offered a professional future in over 140 apprenticeships. Todt expressed optimism that a similar number of apprenticeship contracts would be signed as in the previous year.
Handicrafts in MV Defying the National Trend with Growth
According to the two Handicraft Chambers in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, handicraft businesses in the state have so far been able to conclude 1,140 new apprenticeship contracts. This is a slight increase compared to the previous year, while the trend nationwide is declining.
"The doors to apprenticeships in the craft trades are still wide open. The largest part of the apprentices starts on September 1st, and many more contracts will still be signed before then," said Gunnar Pohl, managing director of the Handicrafts Association of the Handicraft Chambers MV, optimistically.
The new apprenticeship premium of the state will help in attracting new apprentices, as it only exists in the handicraft sector, according to Pohl. According to his statements, the list of handicraft professions in demand is still topped by the Automotive Mechatronics profession, followed by the Electronics and the profession of Mechanic for Sanitary, Heating, and Air Conditioning Technology.
Pohl urged young people without an apprenticeship to use their summer vacation to find a suitable training place. In the online apprenticeship bourses of the Handicraft Chambers, there were still more than 500 free apprenticeship positions. Advisors would help find suitable companies.
- Despite the challenges in finding apprentices, the training year in the gastronomy sector within Mecklenburg-Vorpommern starts on August 1st, offering potential opportunities for young individuals seeking a position.
- The Statistics department within the Industry and Commerce Chamber Schwerin reported that, while there's a need for apprenticeships in numerous industries, the hospitality sector, particularly in cook's training and hotel and restaurant management, still has a significant number of unfilled positions.
- During a press conference, Regional Director Markus Biercher suggested that individuals interested in an apprenticeship should consider registering with IHK's vocational counseling services to increase their chances of securing a desirable position in the training year.
- Employers within various industries in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, such as machinery, logistics, and tourism, are actively offering over 140 apprenticeships, hoping to fill these vacancies by the end of the training year, as remarked by the acting managing director of IHK Schwerin, Peter Todt.
