Trainee ghosting: Companies in Rhineland-Palatinate are fighting for survival!

Trainee ghosting: Companies in Rhineland-Palatinate are fighting for survival!

The start of training in Rhineland-Palatinate is causing increasing concerns among companies, as more and more trainees are showing so-called “ghosting” behavior. This means that young people simply do not show up after signing the contract. Sören Kettenring, HR manager at Wasgau in Pirmasens, describes in an interview that this problem also directly affects the food retailer and that the situation is tense for many companies in the country. According to SWR, applicants often disappear at short notice and without explanation.

The topic is so widespread that around 10 percent of applicants in Rhineland-Palatinate do not appear for interviews. At Wasgau we see that many candidates confirm the day before the appointment, but then are simply missing. “The lack of appreciation is a big problem,” says Kettenring. This not only impacts recruiting strategies, but also costs valuable time and resources. A look at the numbers makes the drama clear: Last year, 84 of 1,018 trainees at the Rheinhessen Chamber of Crafts simply stayed away on their first day of work.

The causes of ghosting

Why do young people engage in such unreliable behavior? Kettenring attributes this, among other things, to the changed communication culture of the Corona generation. In fact, many of the young people who were socialized during the crisis have difficulties with social relationships in their first professional steps. Professor Jutta Rump sees the “zeitgeist” change and the aversion to conflict as further reasons for ghosting. According to a study by u-form Testsysteme, 15 percent of trainee applicants break off contact with their future training company after being accepted. Life in Germany reports that over 60 percent of training companies have already been confronted with ghosting experiences.

Another problem is the legal situation. The training regulations allow young people to resign during the probationary period without giving reasons, which makes it almost impossible for companies to take action against ghosting. The Chamber of Crafts therefore tried to determine the causes, but received no answers from the affected trainees. A worrying picture emerges when you consider that over 70,000 training positions in Germany will remain unfilled in 2022.

The path to improvement

To counteract this, companies are increasingly relying on intensive onboarding. Boehringer Ingelheim, for example, is committed to the goal of better retaining trainees and preventing short-term rejections. Wasgau also actively tries to create a positive corporate culture through internships, trial days and welcome events. Signing a contract quickly is also seen as essential in order to involve young people at an early stage.

The challenges are great, and finding the skilled workers of tomorrow remains a hot topic. The training landscape is still candidate-oriented, but if 51 percent of trainee applicants can choose from several offers, it shows that many companies need a better standing in the perception of the quality of their training. While 45 percent of trainees stated that they did not want to stay in the company after their training, it remains to be hoped that through a rethink in company management and improved training structures, the future generation will recognize the opportunities that are offered to them.

The training market in Rhineland-Palatinate needs more than just a quick solution to reduce ghosting and offer a more stable, attractive path for trainees. Time is of the essence and companies are required to improve their image while at the same time responding to the needs of the younger generation.

If we keep an eye on the dynamics in the training market, this could be an opportunity not only for companies, but also for future generations to find sustainable solutions together.