Businesses place increased importance on "soft skills"

In particular for small and medium-sized enterprises, school grades continue to be an indicator of their applicants' motivation, said Markus Kiss, Head of Department Education and Training Policy at the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). "But since there are fewer and fewer applicants, businesses tend to occasionally turn a blind eye", said the DIHK vocational education and training expert.

In general, though, businesses can less afford to cut corners regarding the so-called soft skills, that is, discipline, determination for performance, punctuality. "Where it is apparent that there is something wrong in that field, businesses tend to refrain more from hiring than when they see a bad grade in maths or German."

In the event of poor knowledge, there still remains the option of providing a bit of a booster. Increasing numbers of businesses therefore offer extra tuition to their apprentices, reported Kiss. Because of the demographic development, underachieving pupils now are given an opportunity they would not have been given ten years ago.

These days, said Kiss, about a million fewer pupils attend general secondary schools than back in 2003, which is why the well of young talent for businesses simply runs dry. Also, "the lasting trend towards a university course does not do much to help", regretted Kiss. Yet the dual system of vocational education and training with its 340 occupations provides many interesting and also well-paid jobs.