Bridging the gap: How young people and companies (can) align in the apprenticeship market

In Germany, the trend of apprenticeship positions going unfilled is increasing, while many young people struggle to secure apprenticeships. This situation, often referred to as a “matching problem,” can be categorized into three types of mismatches: regional, occupational and qualification mismatches.

This study explores whether communication between companies and potential apprentices during the search process plays a role as a potential fourth category of mismatch. To answer this question, the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Economic Institute examine data from two key representative surveys: the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s youth survey and the German Economic Institute’s survey of German companies.