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CHAPTER 3
Demographic changes and challenges in Europe with special focus on Germany 63

German enterprises are aware of the risks they will face in the future. As
seen, they already use various measures to counter predicted skills shortages
and ageing workforce. Continuing vocational training is one measure to help
employees to stay longer in employment or to cope better with transitional
phases of unemployment or family care. At the moment, at least in Germany,
training measures are not one of the most important activities. However,
disposition of older employees in the labour market depends, among others,
on their qualifications. By such measures they can update their qualifications,
protect their jobs or even improve their position in the labour market.
To face demographic challenges, German enterprises should offer more
age-based long-lasting support measures. Some are presented in this chapter
(besides training, such as regional qualification networks, improvement of
work or health conditions, age-oriented personnel policies). Better counselling
and guidance and public support of both enterprises and employees will be
needed. Lessons learned from successful initiatives (such as qualification
counsellors in Thuringia or obligatory counselling from consultation centres to
get a training cheque in North Rhine-Westphalia), should be used when
expanding these policies and measures.

References

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Ergebnisse des CVTS3 [Older workers and job training: CVTS3 results].
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Behringer, F. et al. (2008). Betriebliche Weiterbildung in Europa:
Deutschland weiterhin nur im Mittelfeld. Aktuelle Ergebnisse aus CVTS3
[Company-based training in Europe: Germany still only in the midfield.
Recent results from CVTS3]. In: Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und
Praxis [Vocational training in science and practice], Vol. 37, No 1, p. 9-14.
Bellmann, L.; Leber, U. (2008). Weiterbildung für Ältere in KMU [Training for
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No 2, p. 43-48.
Bellmann, L.; Leber, U. (2006). Weiterbildung in KMU [Training in SMEs]. In:
Weiß, M. (ed.). Evidenzbasierte Bildungspolitik: Beiträge der
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the economics of education]. Berlin, p. 115-130.
Booth, A.L. et al. (2002). Labour as a buffer: do temporary workers suffer?
Bonn: IZA (Discussion paper, No 673).