DGB report finds record dissatisfaction among apprentices

Apprentices’ satisfaction with their training has fallen to a record low, according to the latest report by the German Trade Union Confederation’s youth organisation, as reported by BR. Many apprentices cite poor workplace conditions and psychological strain. A counselling centre in Munich is offering support.

“Many apprentices hold out until they cannot go on any longer, until they are on the verge of a breakdown,” said Susanne Kussmaul of Azuro, the Training and Future Office of the Munich City Youth Ring. When training becomes a problem, some apprentices in Munich turn to the centre, which helps resolve conflicts, prevent training dropouts and, if necessary, find a new training position.

Two thirds of those surveyed said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their training. That was six percentage points lower than the previous year and the lowest figure since the survey began in 2011.

The willingness to recommend an employer’s training programme also declines over the course of the apprenticeship. While 62 percent of first year apprentices would recommend their company, the figure falls to about 40 percent among those in their fourth year. One in six apprentices frequently has to carry out tasks unrelated to their actual training, also a record high.

This year’s report focuses on mental health. Half of those surveyed said at least one of nine factors in their daily training routine was highly or very highly stressful. The main pressures were performance and time demands, staff shortages and responsibility.

Among those who reported high stress in more than two areas, 80 percent said they often or always felt exhausted at the end of the training day. Half frequently considered dropping out, while more than 40 percent of apprentices who reported psychological stress said they had no one to talk to about it.

Azuro’s figures also point to a significant need for counselling. The centre conducted 207 long term counselling sessions in 2025. The most common reason for the first meeting, cited in 62 cases, was the workplace climate, followed by illness and the quality of the training.

The centre describes conflicts, exclusion and condescending treatment as possible sources of severe stress. Kussmaul said apprentices also suffer when working time laws are ignored, breaks are not provided, overtime is constant or apprentices are used as skilled workers rather than being trained.

Further issues often emerge during counselling. Psychological stress and residence questions involving apprentices from third countries were especially common. Compared with 2024, residence related questions almost quadrupled in 2025, while cases involving psychological stress nearly tripled.

Azuro also reported a sharp increase in precarious training situations. These are complex cases in which issues such as the training position, residence status, housing and financial security are linked. “A long term counselling session is usually counselling on several issues,” Kussmaul said.

Financial concerns are also prominent in the nationwide report. Two thirds of respondents said they could live less well or not at all independently on their training pay. Nearly one third received additional support from their parents, and about one in eight had a part time job alongside their training.

The DGB youth organisation is calling for a higher minimum training allowance, more accommodation for apprentices and better support services for psychological problems.