Overview

• In the 2024/25 training year Hamburg recorded 32,943 apprentices, its smallest cohort since 2001 and down nearly 17 percent from the 2008/09 peak of 39,604.
• University enrolment in the city has surged from about 65,000 in 2000 to 121,397 in winter semester 2024/25, reflecting a shift away from vocational tracks.
• CDU retail, crafts and tourism expert David Erkalp described the downturn as alarming against the backdrop of a broader skilled labor shortage.
• The CDU-Bürgerschaftsfraktion is calling for dedicated dormitories for trainees and free master examinations to make vocational paths more accessible.
• A proposal for a crafts promotion day in schools aims to boost early exposure to skilled trades and address ongoing apprenticeship vacancies.