ifo Education Survey 2022: Germans Favor Lifelong Learning to Keep Pace with Structural Change

Some Results of the ifo Education Survey 2022

More than half of Germans (54 percent) believe that there are generally more losers than winners as a result of structural change. However, only 27 percent see themselves on the losing side of structural change. Accordingly, 62 percent of Germans see an increasing need for professional lifelong learning for all employees, but only 48 percent for people in their own profession. With regard to their own prospects for lifelong learning, Germans are very divided in their assessments of both the opportunities offered by employers and the perceived necessities. 

Almost three-quarters of Germans (72 percent) consider professional lifelong learning to be a good way of keeping pace with structural change. In the opinion of the respondents, the decision as to which training courses to take should be made primarily by the employees themselves, while the costs of both specific and general courses should be borne primarily by the employers. There is clear support for state subsidies for companies that provide lifelong learning, as well as for vocational training bonuses and lifelong learning scholarships. Various reform proposals relating to the lifelong learning system are clearly supported: About three quarters of Germans (77 percent) are in favor of a right to lifelong learning from a catalog of offerings presented by companies. Three-quarters (76 percent) are also in favor of introducing a lifelong learning system with standardized certificates and comparable final examinations similar to those in the vocational training system. 63 percent are in favor of mandatory annual training courses in occupations that are particularly affected by structural change. An expansion of government information campaigns such as the mailing of information brochures about lifelong learning is also highly desired (64 percent). 

Digital skills are considered by a relative majority to be the most important skill for keeping pace with structural change. In line with this, a majority is in favor of teaching basic digital skills at primary and secondary schools. Overall, Germans support numerous measures aimed at countering structural change and the shortage of skilled workers through more extensive lifelong learning.