"I really like the fact that when you drive past a former building site, you can say to the children: I built that house back in the day."
Promoting young talent in the trade industry – STABILA supports young people in the building sector
STABILA visits six training centres throughout Germany to highlight the lack of young talent interested in working in the German building sector, to exchange ideas with young people, and to raise awareness about this fundamental challenge on social media platforms.
For more than 130 years now, STABILA has been dedicating itself to supporting young talent in the trade industry. As the world faces an acute and increasingly prominent shortage of young tradespeople, this is a mission that has become more important than ever. With the industry facing an acute shortage of tradespeople, the career prospects for the young are better today than they ever have been. It is a challenging situation that we, as a medium-sized family business, want to help overcome.
Over the past year, we have visited six training centres across Germany. During these visits, we also wanted to introduce our largely international community to the dual training system available in the building sector in Germany. The mix of theoretical and practical elements and the managed links and variety between these two elements is an approach that is unparalleled around the world – it is the type of training a lot of young tradespeople hope to receive.
Why do young people choose a career in a trade profession? What do apprentices enjoy the most? What are the goals of the apprentices once they complete their training? Are young people aware that there is a lack of young talent? We asked both apprentices and instructors all of these questions.
Why do young people choose a career in a trade profession?
Creating something with their own hands was the most frequent answer to this question. To be able to see what you have been working on all day and have a clear indication of the added value at the end of it. The trade industry also offers a variety of vertical and horizontal development opportunities. Finally, the apprentices are obviously aware of the excellent prospects the trade industry has to offer in keeping with the German saying "A trade in hand finds gold in every land".
What do apprentices enjoy the most?
Definitely the variety that the construction site and trade sector have to offer. No two days are the same. The mix of practical and theoretical elements provides variety even during the training years, ensuring there is little chance of getting bored. Komzet Bau Bühl actually actively encourages this variety, allowing apprentices to explore other trades during their first year of training, helping the young people to gain an overview of alternatives at an early stage and allowing them to select the right trade for them.
"In Libya there is no training, you just learn on the job.
The dual training available in Germany is a fantastic achievement."
What are the goals of the apprentices once they complete their training?
All roads lead to Rome. This proverb is spot on when it comes to the trade sector. Whether you are accepted by a training company, start an architecture degree, work abroad, complete a master trade course, become a site manager, start a company or take over the family business. There are a wide range of possibilities offering young people countless opportunities. It is a highly unlikely that any young people entering the trade sector will find themselves in a dead end with no alternatives. This is a huge advantage that the trade sector has to offer.
Are young people aware that there is a lack of young talent?
The very young ones have really started to notice the lack of young talent. There is often a noticeable age difference, with the apprentices being by far the youngest on site, while companies are struggling to find apprentices for their vacancies. A lot of companies have recognised the problem and are increasingly investing in young talent. Wages are improving, working hours are more flexible, the benefits are more comprehensive and young people are being targeted directly via digital channels.
In 2021, we have already managed to reach millions of young people through our campaign activities on our marketing channels (website, social media and press). The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing how important it is to engage with this kind of issue facing society.
In 2022, we are looking forward to working with our worldwide community and international partners to promote our goals and ambitions in supporting young talent. Our ultimate hope is to inspire lots of young people to explore a career in a trade profession!
