The number of new vocational training contracts in Germany fell slightly in 2024, but the share and total of trainees with foreign nationality rose significantly, official data show. According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 475,100 new apprenticeship contracts were signed last year, a 1.0% decline compared to 2023.

Foreign Trainees Nearly Double in a Decade

While the total number of new contracts fell by 4% among German trainees, it rose 17% among foreign nationals. Over the last ten years, the number of foreign apprentices nearly doubled—from 36,200 in 2014 to roughly 70,000 in 2024—making up about 15% of all new training contracts, up from just 7% a decade ago.

Largest Groups and Popular Training Paths

Most new contracts were signed by trainees from Vietnam (7,100), Syria (6,800), and Ukraine (5,800), with Ukrainian trainees nearly tripling their numbers in one year. Female trainees most frequently entered medical assistant, office management, and dental assistant programs, while male trainees favored vehicle mechatronics, IT specialist, and electronics careers.

At the end of 2024, nearly 1.22 million people were in dual vocational training programs. The majority, 56%, were in industry and commerce, followed by 28% in skilled trades, 9% in freelance professions, and smaller shares in public service, agriculture, and housekeeping.