The pre-training measure is in line with the Europe 2020 strategy and in particular with the flagship initiatives “Youth on the Move” and “An agenda for new skills and new jobs”. Hence, aims to tackle youth unemployment and increase youth employability by simplifying the transition from school to work.

It is also in line with the Employment Guidelines and with several EU instruments such as the ESF implemented to increase the quality of apprenticeships and the engagement of employers and young people.

Despite the negative growth rate due to the crisis, the German labour market managed to effectively adapt to the temporary difficulties. As a result, during this period the youth unemployment rate remained very low compared to the European average (in 2011 the unemployment rate amounted in Germany to 8.6% compared to an average of 21.4% in the EU).

In this context the dual training system and measures to support access to the system have proved to be successful in maintaining low levels of youth unemployment.

As a general background, 65% of school leavers opt for vocational training in the dual systems and more than 70% of these have a successful transition into the labour market as skilled workers following their apprenticeship – 66% of these with the company in which they completed their apprenticeship.

The main problem being addressed was the difficulties experienced by disadvantaged young people to gain access to apprenticeship placements. The German labour market often ‘pre-selects’ promising school leavers into high-quality apprenticeships which are a virtual guarantee for subsequent successful labour market transition.

Given the importance of the dual apprenticeship system in ensuring the successful transition of young people from school to work in Germany, the aim of the policy was to ensure that all young people seeking this route were enabled to gain access to the system.

This pre-training measure allowed young people who had not been able to sign an apprenticeship contract to obtain training and work experience in a company setting for a period of between 6-12 months.

The goal was to subsequently successfully integrate them into a standard dual apprenticeship placement and contract.

The main activities of the policy included training to young people and practical work experience; subsidies to employers and pre-training placements.

• The young person undergoing this measure received training and instruction as well as practical work experience at company level. Whether or not they attended vocational school at the same time depended on the requirements in the region responsible for vocational schools.
• Each participating employer received a subsidy of around €216 per month and a flat rate contribution to social insurance costs for the trainee of €107.
• In the years between 2004 - 2007, the EQJ measure was closely linked with the national training pact and the undertaking by peak employers’ organisations to make available an addition 25.000 pre-training placements per year. In 2007, the national training pact was extended and the number of EQ placements to be made available annually increased to 40,000.
• Between 2010 - 2014 this target has been changed to 30,000 placements to be offered per annum and additional 10,000 for persons with a special need of support.
• Attention was paid to the fact that EQ placement offered do not replace formal apprenticeship training contracts.
• Particular emphasis was also placed on encouraging employers to offer placements for the first time and therefore (potentially) convincing them of the value of offering apprenticeship placements.

The programme led to an increase in the number of placements offered, increased participation in vocational school, high integration rates into apprenticeships and a good match between vocational aspirations and training placements.

Results of the evaluation of the special programming phase were:

• Between 2004 and 2007 around 115,550 placements were offered (exceeding the 75,000 foreseen in the national pact).
• The share of companies offering such placements increased from around 70 to 80%.
• Half of the pre-trainees had only a basic or no completed educational qualifications
• Nearly two thirds of pre-trainees declared that they were able to obtain a placement in the occupational area of choice.
• The level of participation in vocational schools (while undergoing employer based pre-training) increased to around 50% by 2007.
• By 2007, around 65% of pre-trainees entered into a regular apprenticeship contract in the dual system following completion of their pre-training. These integration rates significantly exceeded those of a control group.

Results of the evaluation of the mainstreaming phase were:

• The target number of placements to be offered was achieved or exceeded every year. Many of the companies offering such placements also offered apprenticeships. A good match between vocational aspirations and training placements offered was also maintained.
• Placements were considered to be of good quality and few issues were identified with displacement of exploitation of low paid trainees (respondents indicated that a placement presented an opportunity for low paid work with little training in only 2% of cases).