On the path to working life

Not all young people have positive experiences during their apprenticeships. But more and more are standing up for themselves and demanding their rights and a say in how things are run.

“The conditions in the workplaces were shocking: unpaid overtime, and minors were made to work at night, even though that’s illegal,” says Mandy Lein. At the age of 21, after dropping out of her physics degree, she had started an apprenticeship as a baker. “Physically, the work was hard. When flour was delivered, I had to carry the 20-kilo sacks down to the cellar.”

A move to a larger company was supposed to bring an improvement, but instead new problems arose: “The company was highly industrialised. I only worked on machines and didn’t learn what I should have learnt.”

When it came out that she was a member of the NGG trade union, there was trouble. The same happened when she refused to come to work whilst ill. “I lost 20 kilos during that time and did nothing but work and sleep. I needed all my free time just to recover. On top of that, there was the intense pressure to meet production targets. I was expected to work like a fully-trained full-time employee.”

Seeking help from the NGG in that situation was one of the best decisions of her life, says Mandy. A particularly satisfying success: she successfully claimed the unpaid wages for 100 hours of overtime. Mandy is now 27 and is training to be a distiller; at the moment, she mainly produces whisky. “It’s a great job; we work with the pure raw material – the fruit – mash it and add yeast so it ferments. Everything takes time. We rely heavily on our senses. For example, I have to smell whether the fermentation is working properly. Compared to my first apprenticeship, the work here is like a different world,” says Mandy. She remains loyal to the NGG in her new job too. She regularly attends youngNGG meetings, advises trainees and attends seminars. “You grow a lot personally with the NGG,” she says.

Into the deep end after school

Growing up – that’s the plan after school. A lot depends on making a successful transition into working life. Because by the time you’ve finished primary or secondary school at the latest, big questions arise: Carry on until A-levels or start earning money straight away? Apprenticeship or university? Stay in your home town or move away? And above all: Which career suits me?

Few generations have found it as difficult as the current one to find good answers to these questions. Major issues such as the uncertain economic situation and artificial intelligence make it hard to develop a clear vision of one’s own professional future.

Against this backdrop, quite a few opt for the hospitality sector or the food industry – eating habits may change in the future, but eating and drinking remain basic human needs. Jobs in the food industry are considered secure.

Emotionally, the time after school is a leap into the deep end for many: one moment parents and school were still charting the course, the next moment personal responsibility is required. This can quickly become overwhelming, especially when things aren’t going smoothly. “If I could give my younger self some advice today, I’d say: don’t put up with everything. It’s not easy to stand up for yourself, but if you don’t, things won’t get any better. And seek help if you don’t know what to do next. Your trade union, the NGG, is there for you,” says Mandy.

Foreign trainees particularly at risk

She particularly hopes that more foreign trainees will discover the NGG – they are at particularly high risk of being exploited. This often happens systematically. Dubious agencies are currently recruiting young people from Vietnam and other countries on a large scale as trainees in hotels and the catering industry.

In some cases, families pay thousands of euros for the placement. The agencies confiscate their passports and organise fake language certificates. At vocational schools, the apprentices stand out because they cannot communicate. Many companies exploit them as cheap labour; they never complete their training.

Two brothers in the JAV

Luke and Per Endt had already got an impression of their future workplace, Popp Feinkost in Kaltenkirchen, before their training began: their father works there and is also on the works council. Twenty-two-year-old Luke is in his third year of training as an industrial clerk, whilst his brother Per, two years his junior, is in his second year as a mechatronics technician. The brothers get on well; in their spare time they play football together in the league. Since November 2024, they have also been working together on the Youth and Trainee Representative Committee (JAV). “Even before that, trainees often turned to Luke and me when they had questions,” says Per. “So when the election for the new JAV came up, we said to ourselves, let’s give it a go.”

Luke and Per don’t have to deal with the sort of issues that existed at Mandy’s previous workplaces. At Popp, the works council ensures compliance with the law and collective agreements. Luke and Per are called upon when trainees have difficulties with their supervisors. “We represent the trainees’ interests vis-à-vis management, often anonymously, so without revealing the trainee’s name,” explains Per. They’re a bit like class representatives, Luke thinks: “A point of contact between trainees and trainers to sort out problems. That way, the trainees don’t have to worry about creating a negative impression with their supervisors.” They’ve picked up specialist knowledge in the JAV 1 basic seminar; Seminar 2 is set to follow.

For the brothers, there is no question that trainees need support when it comes to their rights. “On social media, many watch short videos about their rights and then think they know all about it. At the same time, they come across issues at work where they don’t know what to do. I think there’s still a great deal of learning to be done for many of them,” Per suspects.

One of their priorities is also to negotiate benefits for trainees. “There could be additional payments as an incentive for good performance. Discounts on branded clothing or subsidies for the Deutschlandticket are also well received by trainees.”

“Our discussions have a different dynamic”

What these benefits might look like can also be seen at Aryzta in Eisleben, Saxony-Anhalt. Here, Simon Leßmann is training as an industrial clerk; the 16-year-old has been with the company for nine months and is already the JAV chairperson. Among the benefits for trainees at the industrial bakery are a choice of either up to 100 euros in monthly travel allowances or the Deutschlandticket plus 50 euros. Trainees also receive bonuses for good performance. They are supported by trainee coaches who provide regular feedback. “We hold our trainees in high regard,” says Simon. When the trainees travel to Leuna for vocational school weeks, the company pays for their accommodation. “The previous JAV negotiated many of these benefits.”

Even though satisfaction among trainees at the company is high, Simon believes it is important that there is always a Youth and Apprentices’ Committee (JAV) and not just a works council. “Most works council members are older, after all; they don’t always understand the needs of young people. I think it makes more sense for younger people to communicate directly with other young people; our discussions have a completely different dynamic.” As a link between young and old, Simon regularly reports to the works council on the YWC meetings. “In the YWC, I deal with additional issues and not just my work. It’s like voluntary service during working hours,” says Simon.

Simon isn’t worried about his job prospects after his apprenticeship: “As an industrial clerk, I’m learning many things that AI can’t take over. And with so many people retiring in the coming years, there’s sure to be a need for workers like me.”

Why companies should support trainees with their rent

Many trainees live with their parents because they can’t afford their own place. Trainee housing schemes are changing that.

Laura Savelsberg was lucky and had a roof over her head from day one of her training. The qualified hotel manager and current NGG youth secretary moved from North Rhine-Westphalia to Munich in 2020 for her apprenticeship – into one of Germany’s first trainee halls of residence. The four-storey building on Innsbrucker Ring offers 91 residential units. “The city had initiated this back then; companies can rent flats there for their apprentices. My employer had rented several flats. I had to pay 350 euros for a room in a shared flat. Without the guarantee of accommodation, I wouldn’t have moved for the apprenticeship,” says Laura.

She is not alone in this view. It is not just in the big cities that rents are almost impossible to afford on an apprentice’s salary – if young people are even successful in securing a flat at all. In 2024, trainees living alone spent 41 per cent of their income on rent, according to the Federal Statistical Office. A survey by DGB-Jugend Bayern found that, on average, trainees are left with very little after housing and transport costs have been deducted – around ten euros a day to live on, for a full day at work.

Student accommodation for apprentices, such as in Munich, is intended to provide a solution. More and more ‘apprentice services’ are springing up across Germany – modelled on the long-established student services. There are nowhere near enough of them. “If employers want to be attractive to their apprentices, they should ensure that their apprentices have a good standard of living,” says Laura. “That includes not only a good salary, but also affordable housing. Local authorities should also consider whether they offer subsidised housing for apprentices, thereby strengthening their position as a business location.”

Off to new pastures after the apprenticeship

Where are you off to?

Paul and Tobi are real eye-catchers in their medieval garb. Discerning eyes can tell from the black-and-white houndstooth pattern on their jackets and waistcoats that these are two food artisans on the road.

Paul is a miller, Tobi a baker and confectioner. On the road, they work wherever they find a job, for a maximum of three months in the same establishment. You learn many different practices this way, says Tobi. The journeymen’s preferred mode of transport is hitchhiking – they spend no money on travel or accommodation. Sometimes businesses organise places to sleep, but he has also stayed in barracks, community centres or with friendly private individuals, says Paul. “In my four and a half years, I’ve even slept on a few bridges,” admits Tobi.

Paul found out by chance on YouTube that food artisans can go on a journeyman’s tour. For Tobi, it all began when he struck up a conversation with journeymen in a pub. “What moved me most was the thought that I’d become narrow-minded and develop tunnel vision if I stayed in the same company my whole life,” he says. So Tobi set off at the age of 26. He is now 31 and plans to return to his hometown of Bonn this spring after more than five years away. Paul has only been on the road for six months. In the end, it must be at least three years and one day. “You’re supposed to be on the road for longer than your apprenticeship lasted,” he explains.

The minimum duration is just one of countless rules on the journey. Many are centuries old, such as: anyone setting out on the journey must not be married, have children or be in debt. Others are more recent: no plastic buttons. And: mobile phones are taboo whilst on the road. “I like going to vocational schools and encouraging young people to set out on the journey,” says Paul. “There’s a lot of interest until I say: no mobile phones.”

Yet it is precisely this rule that leads to many positive experiences, says Tobi: “We’re forced to approach other people, for example to borrow something or ask for directions. For me, it’s also a feeling of freedom that I can manage without a smartphone.” Tobi has made it all the way to New Zealand this way. “You never know where you’ll end up,” says Paul. “When I’m hitchhiking and a car stops and asks where I’m going, I ask back: ‘Where are you heading?’”

Brewing craft beer in Crete with Erasmus+B 

Fiona Bernhardt has been living in Heraklion, the capital of Greece’s largest island, Crete, since March.

In February, Fiona had completed her training as a brewer and maltster at Lammsbräu, but wasn’t offered a permanent role. “Luckily, you can do Erasmus+ not just during your training, but also for a year afterwards. I simply applied to Erasmus+ and got funding approval really quickly,” says the 23-year-old.

At her new workplace, a small Cretan craft beer brewery, the pace of work is very relaxed. “In a small brewery there’s less time pressure, and the atmosphere is good,” says Fiona. “And everyone is very warm and friendly. On my second day, I was told: ‘You’re part of the family now.’ In fact, I’ve already been to family gatherings, for example at Easter.”

Professionally, the internship abroad is very beneficial for her, says Fiona. “I might even get to brew my own beer soon – that would be a huge deal.” It’s not just Fiona who is benefiting from the stay; her Cretan colleagues are learning too: “We have lots of discussions on an equal footing about how to improve the beer, for example, whether we can leave out enzymes.” Fiona is returning to Germany in August. Next stop: master’s programme.

Hotel manager at sea: working in a bubble

After completing his training as a hotel manager, Jonas was looking for a new challenge – and applied to the cruise operator AIDA

“I wasn’t sure if I could really cope with being all on my own somewhere,” says the 24-year-old. Nevertheless, he began his six-month stint on the AIDAdiva: 13 decks, 1,033 guest cabins, 10 restaurants. First he was sailing the Mediterranean, later heading to Scandinavia.

He had to be on his toes when serving: “I was deployed in all the restaurants on the ship. To do that, I had to get up to speed quickly, know the menu and all the dishes.” The working hours were very demanding: “I usually had the morning shift from 7 am to 12 noon, the lunch shift from 1 pm to 2.30 pm or 3 pm. In the evening, it started all over again. There were no days off.”

Jonas has been back on land since September 2025. “It was wonderful and terrible at the same time,” he says today. “At the start, I felt very lost.” But he quickly made friends; on board, you’re constantly surrounded by people. There’s hardly anywhere to retreat to. “Looking back, I’ve wondered how I managed it. But on the ship, you’re constantly on the go and completely lose touch with the outside world; you live as if in a bubble.” Although the stress was high, Jonas is glad he took the plunge. “I’m much more resilient now and keep a clear head in stressful situations. And I’ve improved my English. People from many different countries work on the ship. I’ve never experienced such a strong sense of camaraderie before.”

Next Level Democratic Co-determination

Studying without A-levels: Over eleven months of intensive study, trade union activists learn at the European Academy of Labour how to help shape the world of work.

They are involved in works councils, work for trade unions or in academia, and some eventually go on to head ministries: those who have studied at the European Academy of Labour (EAdA) in Frankfurt can achieve a great deal. Not just for their own careers, but also for workers across Germany. Nathalie, Sina and Thoren are taking part in the current course, the 90th in the history of the EAdA, which was founded in 1921. Until recently, all three worked in the food industry. Now they are preparing here for a new role as trade union secretaries for training at the NGG.

Studying without A-levels

A school-leaving certificate is not required to study at this university, which is unique in Europe; a vocational qualification and two years’ work experience are sufficient. “Even without an academic background, I am seen here as someone with personal aptitude and high potential,” says Thoren (30). He originally completed a vocational training course as a logistics specialist and worked for ten years at Coca-Cola in Thuringia as a forklift driver and order picker. He spent almost as long on the works council and has also served on the NGG’s regional executive committee.

Among the 45 students in the current cohort, Thoren is no exception. The student body is very diverse, with ages ranging from 22 to 56, and all DGB trade unions are represented. “This helps you look beyond your own horizons. I meet people here who have similar problems but very different approaches to solving them in their industries,” says Sina (36). For her, this is already her second degree; she previously studied geography and then trained as a fruit juice technician. It was at vocational college that she discovered the NGG.

Connecting the past and future of work

Nathalie (45) has worked in food production for 23 years; she is an industrial foreman and a specialist in food technology and occupational safety. She spent 20 years on the works council, most recently as deputy chair, and held positions within the NGG. Now she wants to devote herself entirely to trade union work. What she likes about the EAdA is that the course covers classic trade union topics such as pensions and employment law, but also current developments: the shift to the right, for instance, and the impact of AI on the world of work. “We connect the past with the present and the future,” says Nathalie.

Full funding

To ensure that all students can devote themselves fully to their studies, they receive generous funding. The benefits include an apartment in the student hall of residence, meals, travel expenses and 500 euros per month. “At the end, students receive an official degree in accordance with the Hessian Higher Education Act. This allows them to go on to study economics or law, for example,” explains Martin Allespach, head of the EAdA. “The workload is demanding: you have to demonstrate 1,265 hours over the eleven months.” Added to this are numerous discussion groups and workshops where students come into contact with practitioners from trade unions, politics and businesses – networking is an important part of the course.

Everyone is currently concerned about the future

During his chef’s apprenticeship, Jakob Scholhölter learnt just how difficult things can be for young people without a works council or a trade union. He is now studying and, as a future vocational college teacher, wants to provide better support for apprentices.

At first, Jakob didn’t realise that something was going wrong during his chef’s apprenticeship. “It was only when I was completely overworked that it occurred to me that 17-year-olds in training perhaps shouldn’t be working twelve days on the go,” says Jakob. His training workplace, a rehabilitation clinic, had no works council. “There was no awareness within the team that we could bring about change together. Many were afraid of losing their jobs.”

The vocational school was no help either. “We were just told that we could contact the Chamber of Industry and Commerce if we had any problems. I wish someone had told me back then that I could go to the NGG. And topics like works councils or youth and trainee representation were never discussed.”

Now the qualified chef is studying and, as a future vocational school teacher for nutrition and home economics, wants to do better than his own teachers. There is no question in his mind that his future students will need support. “Everyone is thinking about their future prospects right now. How will the job market develop? What are the consequences of AI? And will my future apprentices still be able to train in a good craft business that doesn’t rely on convenience products for 70 per cent of its work?”