German Union’s Training Push Targets Safety-Critical Roles with Free Seminars and ‘Risikodrom’ Program
Veröffentlicht: 11.07.2026 um 15:48 Uhr, Redaktion boerse-global.de
Workplace training in Germany is getting a major update as unions, vocational schools, and government bodies roll out a packed calendar of courses through 2026 and into 2027. The programs range from digital basics for apprentices to a specialised safety simulator for road workers — and include a free online session for representatives of employees with disabilities.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s transport minister, Oliver Krischer, unveiled a new safety training initiative called “Risikodrom” on 9 July 2026 in Herscheid. The programme uses video analysis to coach road maintenance workers, whose accident risk, the ministry says, is well above the industry average. It is slated to be rolled out across the state.
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The educational arm of the Verdi union has announced a broad line-up of online and in-person events. A free online session for Schwerbehindertenvertretungen (SBV) — the elected representatives for employees with severe disabilities — is scheduled for 10 November 2026. Organised by Verdi’s Bildungswerk in Lower Saxony, the “Aktuelle Stunde” is exempt from work under SGB IX (Book Nine of the German Social Code), meaning participants can attend during working hours.
Another intensive programme targets works councils at the Autobahn GmbH, the federal motorway company. A five-day in-person seminar on personnel matters will run from 9 to 13 November 2026 in Mannheim.
Looking ahead to 2027, Verdi has already set dates for several online workshops. On 15 February 2027, the topic is discrimination-sensitive language; from 24 to 26 November 2027, the focus will be on hazard and overload reports. These sessions are open to works councils, staff councils, and employee representatives.
Specialised conferences round out the autumn. A coaching conference on impact techniques takes place in Hanover on 15 September 2026. On 1 October, a separate day-long event for youth and apprentice representatives (JAV) will examine the quality of training while working from home. Diversity management is the theme on 6 and 7 October 2026, where experts stress that absenteeism management and the prevention of mental illnesses such as burnout are becoming critical for companies. Digital offerings on resilience and stress management are designed to support workplace health promotion.
Outside the union sphere, the Volkshochschule (adult education centre) in Herzberg will run an intensive digital skills course from 13 to 17 July 2026, covering Office applications, artificial intelligence, and data protection. It is recognised as Bildungszeit (state-funded educational leave). A separate medical microbiology workshop took place in Essen on 10 and 11 July.
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For vocational trainees in the skilled trades, free intensive German language courses will be offered from 20 July to the end of August 2026 in the Rhine-Neckar-Odenwald region. Meanwhile, the Koblenz Chamber of Skilled Crafts has set a deadline of 10 August 2026 for applications to its scholarship programme for gifted apprentices. Funding of up to €9,135 is available, provided the applicant scores at least 87 points in their final exam.
With rising living costs, Verdi’s financial experts recommend early planning for the 2027 tax year. Deductibility of training expenses, work equipment, and commuting costs is becoming increasingly important for employees.
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