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Swedes snub German apprentice scheme

Swedish students have turned a cold shoulder to the offer of apprenticeships in Germany, a scheme widely credited for keeping youth unemployment low in Sweden's neighbour to the south.

Published: 21 October 2013 11:39 CEST
Swedes snub German apprentice scheme
Photo: File Photo. Ann Törnkvist

The failure of the German government scheme to get Swedish students to relocate to the country for apprenticeship schemes has led to it being revamped.

“One of our problems last year was not that many Swedish students speak German,” Maja Erlbacher, an advisor with the European Employment Agency (EURES) told The Local. “Most of those who show interest have no prior language knowledge at all.”

The programme, called “The Job of My Life,” used to require some level of German language skills as there wasn’t time to learn before the apprenticeships began.

Germany has now scrapped the requirement and has restructured the programme to allow time for language classes.

To encourage young Swedes to enroll, from this autumn onwards, young job-seekers will first be offered support for German language training in Sweden. The language classes then continue on-site in Germany.

Erlbacher said that language education is just one parcel of the larger package the German government is offering. The apprenticeships are paid, and the programme also aims to help students integrate socially.

Germany’s apprenticeship programme is renowned throughout Europe and is said to be one reason why Germany has one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in the EU.

The programme enables students to step into the job market after their ninth year of traditional schooling and add a more practical element to their education.

But many Swedish students are deterred by the length of the apprenticeships, which last between two and three years. Erlbacher said that many students need time to consider the drawn-out relocation, but there’s no way to avoid it.

“There is no possibility of shortening down the apprenticeship period,” Erlbacher told The Local. “It’s a very long time for a young person to be in another country and give up everything one has here in Sweden. But there is a lot to learn and they need all the time they can get. It’s the same period that a German applicant would have.”

About 350 different types of apprenticeship positions are available in various job sectors. Erlbacher said that the chances of placement are very good for those who are interested, although they won’t know how many applicants they have until the end of the year.

Erlbacher said the German and Swedish apprenticeship systems both have benefits, and are too different to compare.

“In Sweden you do all the theoretical stuff there at school, in gymnasium, and then you have a shorter apprenticeship to focus on the practical. In the German system you do these things at the same time.

After ninth grade you are at your workplace three or four days a week and at school one or two days a week, and this goes on for about three years. It’s really not possible to compare them.”

Solveig Rundquist

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Published: 7 February 2024 10:54 CET
Updated: 10 February 2024 08:20 CET
Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

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