The decline continues for Danish vocational education. In 2022, 20 percent of young people applied for vocational training after completing either the 9th or 10th grade. That figure has fallen to 19.4 percent this year.
35 percent drop in one year
If you delve further into the figures from a construction perspective, it is even more gloomy reading. The vocational training for structural engineer alone has experienced a decline of a staggering 35 percent compared to last year. It is structural engineers who, among other things, are responsible for the concrete work at the Fehmarn site and other large constructions.
In Denmark, just 247 students started vocational training for structural engineer in January. That is 135 fewer than the previous year. This is reported by the association Danske Vocational Schools and High Schools to FemernReport.
Something has to happen – now
According to Ritzau, Dansk Metal calls the figures “alarming”, and Dansk Erhverv thinks it is “depressing” reading.
According to Claus Rosenkrands Olsen, who is head of education at the latter, something needs to happen. Now:
– We already need more skilled workers, and the transition to a more sustainable society requires even more, he says in a press release.
Empty promises and bluster
The chairman of the association Danske Vocational Schools and Gymnasiums – Leaders, Ole Heinager from the vocational school NEXT in Copenhagen’s western region, is disappointed by the government’s lack of support for vocational education:
– At least we have two government parties that promised gold and green forests in the run-up to the election. Then came the Finance Act, and it turned out to be empty promises and bluster. On the SOSU courses, you can offer a salary during the basic course and a training guarantee. You could also consider doing that in the rest of the vocational training courses, says Ole Heinager.
No one knows what a structural engineer does
He also points out that there is a general lack of knowledge about the structural engineer profession:
– There is almost no one who knows what a structural engineer does. In the old days, when it was called earth and concrete work, people at least knew what it was about, says Ole Heinager from Danske Vocational Schools and – Gymnasier – Lederne.
This point of view is partially supported by the government:
– Today, I find that many young people do not know the various options well enough. Therefore, the government will present proposals that will help the young people and their parents to make the decision, says a press release from Minister for Children and Education Mattias Tesfaye (S).
It has previously been a goal that 30 percent of young people should apply for vocational training when they leave primary school. In January, Mattias Tesfaye stated that that objective must be dropped.
Not politically prioritized
According to Nanna Højlund, deputy chairman of the main organization of the trade union movement (FH), it is, among other things, about politicians’ priorities.
– The area has not been given political priority, and the toast speakers do not do it in themselves, she says in a press release.
Employers must do something
Ole Heinager from Danske Vocational Schools and – Gymnasiums – The leaders also miss that the employers come to the scene in relation to telling about what a structurer does:
– Compared to, for example, Fehmarn, they could start doing something themselves. They have an apprenticeship obligation, but it is basically only us in the sector and Poul Nyrup who know about it, he says.
We must embrace technology
Ole Heinager also believes that we generally need to rethink the construction industry and education: – I think that in five years, we will see robots and artificial intelligence becoming a much larger part of the structural engineering profession. It is important that we embrace technology and renew the education programs in line with developments. We will lack 100,000 skilled workers, and we cannot import that, he says.
