Page 37 - Learning-while-working-Success-stories-on-workplace-learning-in-Europe

To train or not to train? 31

In Germany, as part of a wider effort to promote skills-building for short-term work periods,
the Federal Employment Agency will cover a share of further training costs and, at the request
of the employer, reimburse 50% of social insurance contributions, when the company engages
in measures to improve skills of those under short-term contracts (Cedefop, 2010f).

In some countries, national programmes or social partner agreements have
been specifically targeted at certain groups of workers who may, for various
reasons, face difficulties in accessing training opportunities, due to both their
personal circumstances and human resources policies, where companies judge
that they will not gain a sufficient return on their investment in training. If public
policies and social partner commitment did not remediate it, they would be
missing the chance for self-development, which could also benefit their employers
through improved skill levels, motivation and performance at work.

In Germany, the programme WeGebAU (Weiterbildung Geringqualifizierter und beschäftigter älterer
Arbeitnehmer in Unternehmen, further education for low-qualified people and older employees
in enterprises) was launched in 2006 by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für
Arbeit, BA) to provide training that may lead to new vocational qualifications for low-qualified
and older workers. Companies participating in the programme are granted a wage subsidy from
the employment agency to cover training costs, while employees receive a training voucher
which can then be redeemed for approved training offers. However, a recent UNESCO report
on Germany suggests that there is a lack of awareness of the programme; evaluations indicate
that only one in eight of the individuals who are eligible to take part in the programme have
done so. As a result of the economic crisis, the scheme has been opened up to other categories
of workers, particularly those on short-time work arrangements (Federal Minister of Education
and Research, 2008; Cedefop, 2010f).

The most vulnerable in the labour market, particularly older, low-skilled
and migrant workers, have difficulty in accessing existing forms of workplace
learning and training, due to external constraints imposed by human
resources management priorities, scarcity of suitable training provision,
lack of information and guidance; these are in addition to their life situation,
poor self-confidence and low self-esteem, learning or language difficulties,
or negative previous education experiences. Further, low-skilled workers can
be less aware of the potential benefits of training, more uncertain about what
they would like and need to learn, and not have the capacity to formulate
training needs and negotiate with their employers the content of training.
Neither are they likely to find themselves in work positions that encourage
skill development.