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Career Guidance in the Life Course – Structures and Services in Germany
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for educational guidance, which will be tested in a pilot- on questions related to further training. Often this is pro-
ing phase. Similar hotlines and internet portals restricted vided by workers’ council and union representatives. In this
to some regions, municipalities and Länder already exist. respect pilot projects have enabled members of the workers’
council to qualify as “Educational Coaches” (Project “Learn-
Provision of career guidance by industrial ing and Working”, German Trade Union Federation DGB)
federations and social partners or as “Learning Mentors” (2010) (trade unions IG Metall and
ver.di). In addition, the German Trade Union Federation has
The chambers of commerce and crafts, industrial federa- developed counselling competences for guidance practition-
tions and social partners also provide services for infor- ers in the chambers of crafts in a project called “Campaign
mation and advice related to VET and CVET addressed to for Guidance in Crafts”. Part of this was funded by the Fed-
schools, universities and enterprises, but also to appren- eral Ministry of Education and Research.
tices, employed or unemployed persons.
Private services
In particular, according to the Federal Vocational Train-
ing Act (§ 76 Berufsbildungsgesetz) and the Crafts Act There is a growing private sector for guidance provision, in
(§41a Handwerksordnung), the chambers of commerce particular since the abolishment of the guidance monopoly
and crafts have a legal obligation to provide informa- of the FEA in 1998. In addition to management consultants
tion and advice for employers and apprentices (Aus­ and private career guidance practitioners, the number of
bildungsberatung) in all matters relating to the dual training non-profit organisations who offer guidance services has
system. Guidance practitioners in the chambers give advice increased considerably. One reason for this is that several
to trainees, parents and teachers in vocational schools, Federal and Länder government programmes on training
companies, trainers, and works councils on questions and labour market issues require guidance activities for
related to apprenticeships in the dual system. Such ques- their beneficiaries. So far, the private market has been less
tions may concern the course of the apprenticeship, exa- strongly regulated than the public sector.
minations and the training contract with the employer as
well as regulations for youth protection in the workplace. Qualification consultancy for enterprises
Also, in case of difficulties in the vocational school or con-
flicts in the company, trainees may seek help from a guid- Qualification consultancy supports companies in develop-
ance practitioner in the chambers of commerce and crafts. ing human resource development strategies and further
training options for their employees. It is particularly aimed
Chambers of commerce and crafts also provide some at small and medium-sized companies (SME) which often
guidance for adults aiming for further training or self- face difficulties in these matters. Besides raising the aware-
employment. In addition, chambers of commerce and crafts ness and motivation for investment in training and qualifi-
offer advice to their member enterprises on issues like up- cation, such consultancy can help companies to plan, im-
skilling their staff or recruiting qualified staff (qualification plement and evaluate the further qualification of their staff.
consultancy). In addition to the social partners and institutions of higher
education, private and semi-private providers offer this
Trade Unions also provide career guidance and service. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research as
assistance to their members (employed or unemployed) well as some Länder governments have funded a number
of related programmes and activities in order to enhance
activities in this field, which is crucial for the successful im-
plementation of the idea of lifelong learning in enterprises.

The provision of guidance for employers and com-
panies is also a legal task of the FEA. Special Employer
Service Teams in EAs assist private companies in all mat-
ters relating to staff recruitment, filling vacancies, upskill-
ing of staff, apprenticeship training and further training,
and provide information on labour market developments
and changing occupational structures. They also provide
information on financial assistance in relation to further
training or on the occupational integration of employees
with special needs.