Enlarge image

Vocational school (symbolic image)

Photo: Tom Werner / Getty Images

Many prospective teachers do not start the preparatory service after applying for a traineeship. This emerges from a response from the Ministry of Culture to a request from the SPD parliamentary group. According to the figures, last year almost one in five applicants across all types of schools did not accept the assigned traineeship place.

The rate is particularly high at vocational schools in the country. A good 40 percent of applicants there did not start their traineeship in 2023. In the previous four years, the situation at vocational schools didn't look any better: in 2020, only 55 percent of applicants took up their position.

The rate at high schools is somewhat better. Last year, a good three quarters of prospective teachers began their traineeship there after applying for a corresponding position. The proportion of applicants who ultimately did not start their traineeship was even lower at secondary, secondary and community schools (13 percent) and at primary schools (ten percent).

Industry attracts vocational school teachers with good working conditions

It is not known how many applicants will apply again for the preparatory service next year. Because of data protection, all data would be deleted after the end of the admission process, writes the Ministry of Culture in its response to the request. "Therefore, no conclusion can be drawn from an application as to whether it is a new application due to withdrawal in previous years."

The Vocational School Teachers Association (BLV) explains the high non-attendance rate at vocational schools with the wide range of options available to prospective vocational school teachers. These subjects are also in demand in industry. »Students are required to do a one-year internship in industry during their studies. It may well be that the company ends up asking: “Don’t you want to start working with us after your studies?” said Thomas Speck, state chairman of the BLV.

The companies attracted visitors with project work, teamwork, home offices and modern workplaces. Schools still have some catching up to do, said Speck. “For example, I can only do a very limited amount of home office work because I don’t have access to the school’s data from home,” said the association chairman.

The BLV boss considers the numbers to be “absolutely frightening”: “We’re really worried about it. “We will soon be entering a wave of retirements and will also have increasing student numbers,” said Speck. In addition, the situation at vocational schools is even worse than the inquiry shows. “The reality is even worse because there is still a percentage who don’t even submit the application for their traineeship,” said Speck. More and more students are quitting after completing their bachelor's degree to work in industry.

»Apparently we lose too many people between the time they apply for the preparatory service in teaching and the actual start. There will always be fluctuation, but the attrition is simply too high given the massive shortage of teachers in Baden-Württemberg," criticized the school policy spokeswoman for the SPD parliamentary group, Katrin Steinhülb-Joos, who had requested the figures from the Ministry of Culture.

It must be carefully evaluated why teacher training students decide against starting the traineeship. "More coaching and consulting offers that students can use if they have doubts about whether working as a teacher is right for them and a comprehensive network of contacts made up of experienced teachers can further strengthen the connection between studies and practice," said Steinhülb-Joos. In addition, it must be examined whether the traineeship needs to be redesigned to make it more attractive.

Free market rules

The Ministry of Culture also sees the low entry rates at vocational schools as being due to the special characteristics of vocational teaching. “There are no specific teacher training courses in many subjects here,” said a spokesman. For graduates with a master's degree in computer science or engineering, for example, the school is just one of many job opportunities. "And as is very common in a free market, they apply to several employers and then choose the position that suits them best," said the spokesman.

Another problem is graduates who finish their studies in March and can only start their traineeship in the following January or February. “During this time they may find an alternative career option,” said the spokesman. These applicants are offered the opportunity to start their traineeship as so-called guest students in January or February and then submit their degree in March. This is also successful, according to the Ministry of Culture.

sun/dpa