Anyone who wants to become a teacher usually has a long way to go – five years of training, four of which are not paid for in school. This must be one of the reasons for the acute shortage of skilled workers. According to studies, there will be a shortage of more than 200,000 teachers across Germany by 2030. Over the years, efforts have been made to restructure the training thus making it more attractive to other groups of applicants.

Therefore, about five years ago, in addition to the traditional training model, the “Optiprax” model was created, meaning that high school graduates and career-changers complete training as a teacher within three years of apprenticeship with customized practical steps. can do. Now shorting is also possible with Secondary School Leaving Certificate. With the aid of a socio-educational preparatory year (SEJ), which goes back to a resolution of the Bavarian state parliament, graduates of secondary and business schools should in the future be able to reduce their teacher training to four years and be paid should start. It will also be possible from next September at the Neuberg Vocational School Center.

District committee is unanimously behind the concept of social academic year

For this reason, chief Matthias Fischer presented the concept to the district committee, which approved the plans as a whole. The Lord Mayor of Newburgh called the plans “very good”. And: “We absolutely need more teachers. Five years of training is completely over”. District administrator Peter von der Grun also received words of praise for the vocational school center’s project.

It should start in early September, provided that at least 16 trainees participate. In the first year, which is remunerated by government subsidies of about 400 euros per month, they are trained for two weeks at a specialist academy for social pedagogy in a supporting institution and at the vocational school center. This is followed by two years of full school training and one year of internship. There will be no shortage of facilities. “More than 30 positions in the district will be available immediately,” Fischer said in an interview with our editorial team. He is convinced: “It will certainly bring some relief from the problem.” For example, the “optiprex” model is already “a success story”—at least not in the context of the task of making the job attractive to more men.

Hope to overcome the shortage of head teachers of vocational school center

The specialist academy does not require new teaching staff or more classes to implement. The SEJ class shares space with one of three “Optiprax” classes, which are trained every two weeks at a specialist academy. With the district’s mandate as material cost manager, Fischer and his staff will now advertise the concept and refer those wishing to contact the center for appropriate facilities.