Overview
- The DGB’s Ausbildungsreport 2026, released Thursday, found overall apprentice satisfaction fell to 65.7 percent, the lowest level since the survey began.
- About half of respondents reported psychological burdens, with nearly 50 percent citing financial worries and 35 percent pointing to housing problems as key drivers of stress.
- The report documents worsening training conditions: 35.4 percent of apprentices regularly work overtime, 16.3 percent frequently perform tasks unrelated to their training, and many lack accessible trainers.
- Labour-market data in the report show strain on the apprenticeship system, with roughly 476,000 new training contracts in 2025 (down 2.1 percent) and about 19.9 percent of applicants left without a position.
- The DGB is calling for measures such as mental‑health training for trainers, more affordable housing and clearer post‑training prospects, and regional policy moves like proposed cuts to Baden‑Württemberg housing support are being re‑examined after public criticism.