Vietnamese nursing care professionals are being trained in Germany

With the start of the new apprenticeship year, 102 young people from Vietnam were the first from their country to begin a geriatric care apprenticeship in Germany. This launched the decisive phase of the Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology's (BMWi) pilot project to provide vocational education and training for future geriatric care professionals from Vietnam. In co-ordination with the federal states and nursing care associations, institutions in the Federal States of Berlin, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Lower Saxony were recruited as providers of vocational education and training.

The German Federal Minister of Economy and Technology, Dr Philipp Rösler: "Step by step, we have improved the framework conditions for the immigration of skilled personnel from abroad. Especially in the nursing care industry, however, the rising demand for nursing care professionals is particularly urgent. With this pilot project for qualifying nursing care professionals in Germany, we open up yet another means of winning over international skilled personnel who are qualified according to German vocational education and training standards. This is a new opportunity with the potential of developing into a role model for enterprises and apprentices."

The rising demand for nursing care professionals in Germany constitutes an important challenge for policy-makers and the nursing care industry. According to various studies, the demand is predicted to number about 84,000 nursing care and auxiliary workers by as early as 2020; by 2030, the demand is expected to rise to 200,000 nursing care and auxiliary workers (Source: Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, RWI).

In face of the demographic development, the domestic skilled labour potential must be augmented by utilising all means of winning over skilled personnel from abroad. In addition to recruiting already qualified skilled personnel, this includes also the recruitment of young people to start and complete a vocational education and training programme in Germany.

On the basis of the "Ausbildungs- und Qualifizierungsoffensive Altenpflege" (Geriatric Care Apprenticeship and Qualification Offensive), approved in 2012, the BMWi has initiated a pilot project for qualifying personnel from Vietnam to become geriatric care professionals.