Companies are looking for trainees in the wrong place

Facebook instead of Tiktok
Companies are looking for trainees in the wrong place

Companies are increasingly placing their job advertisements online. However, according to a study, they do not adapt to the media behavior of potential trainees and search in the wrong channels. It also shows that a school leaving certificate is becoming less important.

There can be no talk of a high mood on the training market: according to a survey of 14 to 25 year olds, one in four complains that there are not enough training places in Germany. One reason why companies and potential trainees cannot find each other is probably the lack of advertising for vacancies on the right social channels. This was the result of the joint representative youth and company survey by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the German Economic Institute (IW).

Accordingly, young people and companies generally agree that the search for a training place takes place online. Both use online job advertisements the most, followed by placement via the Federal Employment Agency. For the study, the Iconkids & Youth Institute surveyed more than 1,700 young people between the ages of 14 and 25 in February and March on behalf of the Bertelsmann Foundation. The IW then surveyed HR managers at 895 companies between March and May.

Companies hardly use Tiktok

Differences can be seen in social media, among other things. While the younger generations are more active on platforms such as YouTube, Tiktok or Snapchat, 70 percent of companies place their job advertisements on Facebook – even though only one in four young people spend time there. 30 percent of them say they use Tiktok often – which in turn less than four percent of companies do. According to the study, where the two groups find their common ground is Instagram.

“Companies should adapt their communication more closely to the media behavior of young people in order to reach more potential applicants,” recommend the study authors. Analogue communication should not be neglected either, as job advertisements in newspapers or on bulletin boards are used by younger people with less education.

Personal skills are becoming more important

In addition, according to the study, three quarters of companies consider the skills and characteristics of applicants to be increasingly important, while formal qualifications are becoming less important. This needs to be communicated better: The study shows that only slightly more than half of young people are convinced that their personal skills are important. A third even expressly contradict this assessment. “Young people should not forgo applying, even if they have weaker grades, but rather trust in their strengths,” emphasizes Clemens Wieland, an expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation for Vocational Training.

The training has a good reputation: over 80 percent of companies and young people see it as a good professional basis. Six out of ten of those surveyed also think that with training you can afford “a good life” later on. Nevertheless, more than 45 percent of companies and a good 55 percent of young people find that dual training has little value in society.