40 percent of those over 15 years of age continue to have vocational training as the most common qualification in Germany
October 16, 2024, 12:02 p.m
Vocational training continues to be the most common qualification in Germany. 40 percent of those over 15 in Germany had completed an apprenticeship or dual training as of May 15, 2022, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Wednesday with reference to the current census. However, the proportion is significantly higher in the older population groups, while the proportion of academics is increasing in the lower population groups.
Furthermore, apprenticeships or vocational training in the dual system are most common across all age groups, as the statisticians explained. Among those over 65, half have such a qualification; in the group of 50 to 64 year olds the proportion drops slightly to 47 percent, and in the group below (30 to 49 years) it drops significantly to 38 percent.
In this age group, the proportion of academics is the highest at just under 29 percent. The lowest age group is not very meaningful in this respect because many are still in training and therefore do not have a qualification.
According to the census results, there is primarily an urban-rural divide in terms of geographical distribution: most academics live in large university cities such as Munich (41 percent), Erlangen (40 percent) and Heidelberg (39 percent). Most doctoral graduates also live in Heidelberg, Jena and Tübingen.
Accordingly, when comparing federal states, the city states are ahead in terms of the share of academic degrees. At 22 percent, Hesse is the state with the highest density of academics.
