Poverty as a trainee: "Deposit bottles are my emergency fund!" | reporter
Vanessa is doing an apprenticeship—and living in poverty. Making ends meet is incredibly difficult for her, even though she works 40 hours a week. Rising costs for rent, travel, and groceries mean she barely has enough money to live on. Ayla's situation is completely different: she's totally happy in her apprenticeship—but only because she's made a major compromise.
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🎵 Music:
Seb Wildblood - Jobi
Supershy - Don't Let Go
Kiasmos - Blurred (Bonobo Remix)
Kalipo - Mein Glück
Marteria - Tauchstation (Instrumental)
Lacchesi - Maxe
Enfant Sauvage - Solitude
Shelter 12, Benjamin Amaru - Outro
Aparde - Know You
💰 Trainees paid according to collective bargaining agreements earned an average of €987 gross per month in 2021. Depending on the federal state, this leaves them with approximately €780 per month. For comparison: The statistical poverty line in Germany is €1251 net per month.
... 💡 In Germany, there's a "minimum training allowance": Trainees who started their apprenticeship in 2022 are entitled to at least €585 per month, and those starting in 2023 receive at least €620 per month – all before taxes.
❗This is far too little, says the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB). The DGB Youth is therefore demanding at least 80% of the average collectively agreed training allowance across all sectors for #trainees. That would amount to at least €712 per month. Furthermore, the DGB Youth is calling for reliable solutions for young people who can't find an apprenticeship, for example, through a legal entitlement to one.
💸 In Germany, there is "vocational training assistance," which works similarly to BAföG (Federal Training Assistance Act). To receive this, however, there are a few requirements:
You are undertaking in-company or external vocational training in a recognized training occupation
You live too far away from your parents to stay with them
You have not previously studied at university and have not received BAföG (Federal Training Assistance Act)
🧾Here is the online application for vocational training assistance (BAB):
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/bildung...
📖 Here is the 2022 training report from the DGB Youth: https://jugend.dgb.de/meldungen/ausbi...
🎓More information on the average collectively agreed training allowance from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training:
https://www.bibb.de/de/12209.php
💡 Background information on the relative The Federal Statistical Office provides information on poverty risk in Germany: https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pre...
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✌️ Hi, I'm Alex! I've been working for reporter since 2022. I grew up near Augsburg before moving to Vienna for my Bachelor's degree (Theater, Film & Media). For my Master's in Journalism, I traded Wiener Schnitzel for Hamburg fish sandwiches – and have really settled in here in the north! 🦦 But what I love most is being out and about where I can discover exciting people and stories. You can find more about me on Instagram / metaphern and on Twitter / metaphernst
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