A controversial law to set up a training fund could be passed by members of the Bremen state parliament on Thursday. In the federal state of Bremen, the planned asset reserve has triggered a debate of a magnitude that few other political topics have recently. The spokeswoman for the Bremen Parliament estimated that the second reading of the law could begin around 2:30 p.m. The goal of setting up a training fund was already laid down in the red-green-red coalition agreement of 2019.

The fund is intended to ensure that there are sufficient training places in the country. Economics Senator Kristina Vogt (left) said during the first reading of the law at the end of February that around 2,500 interested parties did not get a training place last year. As a result, there will be a shortage of skilled workers in the future.

If the law is passed as planned, almost all employers will have to pay an annual levy to finance the fund. The rate is capped at a maximum of 0.3 percent of the so-called gross wage total. With such a sum of ten million euros, there would be a maximum levy of 30,000 euros per year, calculates an action alliance from the economy, which is opposed to the project. The draft of the law, however, provides that training companies get money back: for each trainee in the year between 1500 and 2500 euros.

According to the Federal Employment Agency, as of September 2022, there were an average of 83 applicants for every 100 vocational training places in Bremen over a twelve-month period.

Law establishing a training support fund in the state of Bremen Action alliance Federal Employment Agency Coalition agreement