Skilled workers in Thuringia - All information on training & qualification

Skilled workers in Thuringia: highly motivated and well qualified

Motivated employees

Thuringian skilled workers are highly motivated and well-qualified: 61 percent are skilled tradespeople, 15 percent have successfully completed university or university of applied sciences studies, and 17 percent have obtained a vocational school diploma, master craftsman qualification, or technician certification. A very high female employment rate demonstrates that combining career and family life is easier in Thuringia than elsewhere.

Dual vocational training

The internationally renowned German dual vocational training system is one of the key sources of skilled workers in Thuringia. After graduating from school, young people here learn a trade both in companies and at Thuringian vocational schools . Practical knowledge transfer in the workplace and classroom learning complement each other perfectly, ensuring a high standard of training.

STEM graduates

Sources: IW Cologne, STEM Spring Report 2017, TLS 2017, Erfurt

Higher education

Thuringia's universities are a major source of young academic talent. No other region has as many students studying natural sciences, engineering, and business administration as Thuringia. Currently, around 50,000 students are enrolled.

Universities in Thuringia
Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Ilmenau University of Technology
Bauhaus University Weimar
University of Erfurt
Franz Liszt University of Music Weimar
HMU Health at Medical University Erfurt (private)
Universities of Applied Sciences in Thuringia
Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena
Erfurt University of Applied Sciences
Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences
Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences
SRH University of Applied Sciences for Health Gera (private)
Dual universities in Thuringia
Dual universities combine practical vocational training and academic studies. Practical phases in a company alternate with theoretical phases at the university. In this way, students gain concrete professional experience and receive a practice-relevant academic qualification at the university of applied sciences level during their three-year training period.
Gera-Eisenach University of Cooperative Education
iba International Vocational Academy (private)
IUBH Dual Studies Erfurt (private)

school system

Thuringian school system forms the basis for qualified employees of tomorrow . Students in the Free State have always achieved their Abitur (university entrance qualification) after 12 years. Class sizes are small, and the number of teaching hours is high. Consequently, Thuringian students perform very well in performance comparisons such as PISA or the Education Monitor of the German Economic Institute .

International School

The Thuringia International School – Weimar (this), a CIS-accredited school, IB World School, and member of the Association of International Schools, offers students of all nationalities a broad education that combines the best elements of American, British, and German education. Graduates receive the International Baccalaureate (IB), an internationally recognized diploma.

German Professional School (GPS)

The German Professional School (GPS) is a quality-assured state-run program of the Thuringian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Rural Areas (TMWLLR) to prepare young people from non-European countries who are still unoriented in their career path for dual vocational training in Thuringia.

In four months, participants acquire a vocational language B2 qualification in their home country and in a further four months in Thuringia are prepared for living and working in Thuringia through professional integration support in close cooperation with Thuringian companies.