According to the will of Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD), employees in Germany should in future be able to take part in paid training during their careers.

"We will enable an educational period in Germany based on the Austrian model," Heil told the dpa in Berlin.

The training period - which is also agreed in the traffic light coalition agreement - and other measures are to be introduced with a further training law.

The law should be passed in the federal cabinet in the next few weeks and give employees additional opportunities in view of the shortage of skilled workers in Germany, said Heil.

In Austria, employees can take a career break for a maximum of one year for training or further education - or part-time training for up to two years.

Anyone who takes such “educational leave” can receive further training allowance.

Heil announced that employees in Germany should also be able to do one year of professional training if they and the employer have previously agreed on this.

"This can also be organized as part-time training in two years," Heil continues.

"Maintenance is ensured through funds from the Federal Employment Agency, at the level of unemployment benefit, i.e. 60 percent for single people, 67 percent with children."

Training guarantee should come

According to Heil, the further training law will include a “training guarantee”.

Every young person should have the opportunity to get an education.

"To do this, we promote mobility and career orientation for young people, for example." Because there are big regional differences.

“In regions with full employment, companies sometimes cannot find any trainees.

In structurally weak regions, young people looking for an apprenticeship leave their fingers sore.”

Mobility support for internships should help.

"If someone, for example, cannot find a training position in the northern Ruhr area, but there is the opportunity to complete an internship for career orientation in Cologne, then we will support this by covering accommodation and mobility costs," announced Heil.

In the case of trainees, costs for family trips home would be covered.

771 million euros for new law

According to Heil at the Federal Employment Agency, the financial volume of the Further Education Act is to amount to around 771 million euros annually by 2026.

190 million euros are to come from the federal budget.

On the other hand, there would be income from contributions and taxes through the creation of employment.

"Germany not only needs masters, but also masters," said Heil.

Many young people don't even know "what great jobs there are, especially in vocational training".

According to Heil, this should already change in school: "I would like us to have compulsory careers orientation at all schools in Germany from the fifth grade, if possible."

Overall, according to Heil, the structural change in the economy is to be flanked by a “completely new toolbox” for further training.

Funding options would be simplified - Germany had to become a "further education republic".

If companies in transition have to further qualify large parts of the workforce, a qualification allowance should help.

"Many companies are desperately looking for workers and skilled workers," said Heil.

"Whether in trade, in care, in construction - this is actually a big issue in every industry." A shortage of skilled workers must not become a brake on growth.

From 2025 onwards, baby boomers will gradually retire.

At the same time, around 45,000 students left school every year without a qualification.

In the future, all domestic potential would have to be exploited.

"Here we have to pull out all the stops," said Heil.

This also includes increasing the number of women in the workforce and involving people with disabilities and older people even more in working life.

Immigration Act in March

"Germany needs additional qualified immigration," said the minister.

He expects "that we will pass a draft law for a modern immigration law in the federal cabinet at the beginning of March".

The coalition had already presented key points for this in November.

Unlike today, more non-EU citizens should be allowed to enter the country without a recognized qualification.

"The possibilities for qualified immigration will be reduced in bureaucracy," affirmed Heil.

Work visas should be issued more quickly.

"In addition, people who have completed their training in their home country have the opportunity to work in Germany."

As a further pillar, an opportunity card will be introduced, with which people can come to Germany according to a points system.

"We propose the criteria of qualification, work experience, age, language skills or even a connection to Germany," said the minister.

"If you meet the relevant points from the catalog of criteria, the German job market is open to you."

Heil announced a "recruitment strategy by the state and industry" that went beyond the law.

Immigration of skilled workers should not just be accepted.

"We have to want them, organize them and promote them in a targeted manner in other countries." Addressing the Union, Heil said: "I expect the CDU and CSU to commit to qualified immigration." A broad consensus among the Democrats is desirable.