Analyses in the Field of Vocational Training

Prof. Susan Seeber Contributes to the 2026 National Report on Education

Fewer and fewer young people are embarking on dual vocational training. Whilst demand for training places is rising, the number of places offered by companies continues to fall. Only 19 per cent of companies with employees subject to social security contributions now provide training – a new low, primarily due to declining participation by small and micro-enterprises. At the same time, the school-based vocational training system continues to gain in importance. With just under 233,000 new entrants, 2025 saw the highest figure in 20 years.

These are findings of the latest national report on education, ‘Education in Germany’. The section on ‘Vocational Training’ was compiled by the Göttingen Institute for Sociological Research (Soziologisches Forschungsinstitut - SOFI). The findings by Dr Maria Richter and Prof. Dr Susan Seeber, the lead authors, highlight trends and ongoing challenges. Susan Seeber holds the Chair of Business Education and Human Resource Development at the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Göttingen. Dr Maria Richter is a research fellow at the Göttingen Institute for Sociological Research.

The national report on education, “Education in Germany”, is an indicator-based report that provides an overview of the German education system as a whole, ranging from early childhood education to continuing education in adulthood.

Detailed information on the findings in the area of “Vocational Training” (PDF; in German)