Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry has undertaken a fact-finding trip to Germany as part of his review of apprenticeships and youth training.
He said the visit would allow him to explore initiatives and programmes used in Germany which could be applied to Northern Ireland to ensure that apprenticeships and youth training programmes here provided local employers with an appropriately skilled workforce.
“Apprenticeships are an integral part of the education system in Germany, where some 60% of school leavers undertake an. The German Federal Government promotes the system of vocational education and training as a key factor in maintaining youth unemployment at one of the lowest in Europe at less than 8%.”