Chinese graduates look to Germany as job market tightens

Two years ago, Yuki Liu was a university student in Hebei, China, pursuing traditional Chinese music and the pipa, a pear-shaped Chinese lute. Like many of her peers, she considered postgraduate studies or civil service exams as potential career paths. However, after graduating, Liu found herself working as an apprentice in an industrial bakery in Stuttgart, Germany, preparing for the morning rush.

Liu's journey began when she faced uncertainty about her future in China, given the limited job prospects for a music degree. She stumbled upon Germany's apprenticeship system, known as Ausbildung, which offered a path she had never imagined: becoming a blue-collar worker in Europe's largest economy. Liu is part of a growing number of young Chinese who are turning to Ausbildung as an alternative to an increasingly competitive graduate job market and as a potential route to staying in Europe.

The allure of Ausbildung lies in its low cost and the promise of a job at the end. Apprentices are employed by a company in Germany, paid a training allowance, and attend a state vocational school tuition-free. Once qualified, most remain as regular employees. In China, the phrase "graduation means unemployment" reflects the difficulty in finding a job for students and degree-holders.

A record 12.7 million students graduated from Chinese universities in 2025, a 480,000 increase from the previous year. Unemployment among 16-24-year-olds, excluding students, reached a 11-month high of 17.9% in July. Some see Ausbildung not only as a paycheck but also a cost-effective way to relocate abroad, especially to escape the notorious "996" work schedule - working from 9am to 9pm, six days a week.

Social media, particularly Douyin (China's version of TikTok), has played a significant role in promoting Ausbildung. A video featuring a philosophy postgraduate student who moved to Germany to train as a gardener garnered thousands of likes, showcasing the benefits of no office politics, a better work-life balance, and higher wages. Chinese social media users have become more vocal about Ausbildung, with Xie, a former media worker in China, noticing the increased conversation around it.

However, the transition to Ausbildung is not without challenges. Language proficiency is a significant hurdle for many Chinese applicants. Lin Chenxi, who helps place Chinese apprentices with German employers, notes that only about a third of the students they place successfully complete the program, often struggle with the German language exam or lose interest.