2024

No new reforms for the time being. 

2023

Adaptation in the field of vocational guidance

Several conclusions were drawn from the analysis of various surveys from the German-speaking Community, the recommendations of the OECD as well as from becoming acquainted with vocational orientation concepts from six foreign territorial authorities. Among others, the need for a holistic concept for vocational orientation and the implementation of compulsory work placements for pupils of all school types and disciplines.   

The goal of developing a holistic concept for vocational orientation requires structural changes in the vocational orientation offers. The existing offers must be made more visible, bundled and embedded in a coordinated concept.    

The new career orientation concept provides for activities that are carried out by the school for all school levels from the 5th primary school year onwards: from career exploration in the upper primary level to a one to three-day job shadowing in the first secondary level and a company exploration in the second secondary level to a three to five-day internship in the fourth secondary school year and an accompanied self-reflection in the third secondary level. These activities are complemented by a digital student portfolio for career orientation that accompanies each student through his or her school career in secondary school.     

The internship in the 4th year of secondary school aims to give the pupils an age-appropriate trial of a profession. It enables the pupil to get to know a profession and to gain a first insight into everyday working life. No work performance takes place under the same conditions under which the company's employees carry out their work. 

In order to support this implementation, the school staff needs to be increased in order to integrate these interdisciplinary competences into a school-internal concept. To this end, the mandate of the middle managers in the secondary schools was expanded to include the coordination of the teaching of the generic competences and the number of middle managers per secondary school was increased. The new framework plan "Vocational Orientation" will also come into force in September 2023.

2022

Dual apprenticeship for small and medium-sized enterprises   

Apprentices receive higher minimum compensation since 1 July   

The government of the German-speaking Community has increased the minimum monthly compensation for apprentices and, to this end, adapted the decree on education and training in small and medium-sized enterprises. According to Minister of Education Lydia Klinkenberg, the new rates will apply from 1 July 2022, i.e. from the beginning of the new apprenticeship year. In October 2020, a working group consisting of representatives of the Institute for Initial and Continuing Training (IAWM), its board of directors and representatives of all sectors submitted a joint proposal to the government to increase the minimum monthly compensation for apprentices. On behalf of the Minister of Education, the opinions of all relevant stakeholders were subsequently gathered on the project. These were all positive.