More young people with a high school diploma start an apprenticeship after school. In 2021, almost a third (29.7 percent) of prospective trainees were also entitled to attend a university or technical college, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office on Tuesday. That was almost seven percentage points more than ten years earlier. However, graduates with a secondary school certificate still make up the majority of the new trainees at 41.4 percent. The proportion of secondary school students (24 percent) and school leavers without any qualifications (2.8 percent) is declining.
Certain apprenticeships were filled almost exclusively with applicants who had at least a technical college entrance qualification. This applies to the areas of software development, marketing communication and media salespeople. Secondary school students often learn automotive mechatronics or choose to train as a medical assistant.
With higher school education, the probability increases that young people will complete their training in the company they initially chose. At 16.5 percent, high school graduates had the lowest rate of early termination of the training contract. It was 24.9 percent for junior high school students and a good 38.5 percent for trainees with or without a secondary school diploma. The Federal Office explained that this does not automatically have to mean a termination of training. So many changed companies or took up another apprenticeship.
In the gallery: The star accompanied five high school graduates
