High proportion of pupils in vocational training and continuing education in Germany

Referring to 2018 figures, the rate reported by the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden was 47 percent. The average for all members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was 42 percent.

According to the information from the statisticians, upper secondary level comprises the final two years of grammar schools, vocational education and training courses, and training at vocational schools. Vocational training and continuing education involves both combined school and company-based training courses as well as purely school-based training courses. In 2018 there were a total of around 2.42 million pupils at the upper secondary level in Germany. Around 1.13 million of these were therefore completing vocational training and continuing education.

According to the Federal Statistical Office the result especially reflects the huge significance of training in the dual system of the Federal Republic of Germany. In this sector, initial vocational education and training comprised a total of 89 percent of vocational training courses at upper secondary level. The OECD average for this was 34 percent. OECD members comprise 37 developed and emerging economies.