As part of the consa-jobs.de offering, dual vocational training represents a distinct approach to entry into working life compared with the traditional training provided in most countries. This training combines a practical part, carried out in a company for three or four days a week, with theoretical training given at a vocational school for one or two days a week. Generally lasting between two and three and a half years, this training is paid.

In Germany, at least one million young people are learning a state-recognised sandwich course trade, with a choice of 324 occupations by 2022. In 2021, around 467,000 people will have signed a new work-linked training contract.

Several players are involved in ensuring the quality of this training. The chambers of commerce advise the training companies, checking their equipment and organising the examinations. The trade unions and employers’ organisations negotiate apprentices’ pay and help to set standards for vocational training. The state finances and supervises state-run vocational schools, while supporting disadvantaged or unemployed young people in their search for apprenticeships.