Approximately 4.6 million adults in Germany have low qualifications, and this number has been steadily rising since 2019. According to a study by the Bertelsmann Foundation, which was reported on by the Handelsblatt, about 100,000 individuals are being added each year. Notably, since the pre-Corona year, an additional 650,000 people have entered this category, representing a 17 percent increase.
Individuals without formal qualifications face limited opportunities in the job market. Their unemployment rate stands at 21.3 percent, which is six times higher than that of people who possess vocational training or diplomas. They often end up working in support roles or in the low-wage sector.
Gunvald Herdin, a labor market expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation, stated that people without qualifications have poor career prospects. He highlighted that the high unemployment rate, despite shortages of skilled workers in many professions, serves as a critical warning sign. Herdin emphasized that targeted qualifications are necessary to transform helpers into skilled professionals. Depending on the specific field, even small partial qualifications could help bridge the gap between unskilled helper jobs and specialized skilled positions.
