Intercompany Training of Apprentices in the Skilled Trades

The inter-company training of apprentices in the crafts sector in North Rhine-Westphalia supports educational providers with funds from the state and the European Social Fund (ESF) to ensure high-quality training and to relieve small and medium-sized enterprises. As a flat-rate subsidy, up to 33.3 percent of the eligible costs per training week and participant are covered; in centralized supervision, the rate can even increase to 100 percent. Additionally, material expenses for the technical support of the Cascade database are eligible for funding up to a maximum amount of 40,000 euros. The program is continuously available and supports training in recognized vocational training centers of the crafts sector to sustainably strengthen professional competencies.

The Landes-Gewerbeförderungsstelle des nordrhein-westfälischen Handwerks e.V. is eligible to apply; the participating educational providers are considered grant recipients. A prerequisite for funding is the registration of the apprenticeship relationship in the apprentice registers of the North Rhine-Westphalian Chambers of Crafts. For apprentices residing in North Rhine-Westphalia, this registration in another federal state can be waived. Applications are processed by the responsible district governments, which act as regional links between the state and municipalities. Through financial support, the program significantly contributes to the creation and securing of training positions in small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthens the attractiveness of vocational education in the crafts sector.