In contrast to other countries, there is no single educational path in Germany. Even those who do not attend a Gymnasium can take many different paths to either gain a foothold in a specific occupational field or subsequently acquire their higher education entrance qualification and even go on to study. The Abendgymnasium is only one of these options. Many vocational schools also offer a subject-specific or general higher education entrance qualification. Today, these many different options ensure that even people whose parents did not graduate from high school and also did not study can get into higher education.
The composition of students at German universities is far more diverse today than it was only 50 years ago. As a result, very different perspectives and interests have come to the universities. This diversity has enriched the universities quite considerably. At the same time, individuals today have more options. They do not have to choose the direct route via the Abitur to university. Even many people with an apprenticeship can subsequently complete a degree and thus gain additional qualifications in their professional field or even embark on a completely new career path. This means that no one is confined to a single profession that they pursue from the beginning to the end of their professional career. This openness ensures that people can reorient themselves more easily in the course of their lives. They can thus pursue different occupations. Some people discover a very special heartfelt concern only in the second half of their lives and turn this concern into a project, which then develops into a business. The diverse educational pathways in Germany support such projects. This also promotes a special founding spirit.
It is no wonder that many successful people in the start-up scene have a divergent or particularly interesting curriculum vitae. In the course of their lives, they have discovered a particular subject for themselves and made it their own project. By offering them the opportunity for flexible further qualification, the education system makes such careers possible in the first place. There have been major changes in this area in Germany in recent decades. It was not always possible to have as much flexibility here as it is today. In the past, people were committed to a certain career path and educational biography at a very early stage. If you didn’t take the Abitur at a Gymnasium, you were usually denied access to higher education 50 years ago. Today, people are encouraged in a special way by many institutions to acquire new qualifications.
The dual study programme has also created completely new opportunities here. It gives people without a general university entrance qualification access to academic studies. At the same time, this study programme is combined with an apprenticeship. With this training, people already receive a training allowance. Especially for people with a clear perspective or students who are dependent on money, this offers a good opportunity to study. The dual study programme combines the advantages of training with a degree course.
Even if it is not on the same academic level as a university, graduates still receive a university degree. Such and other options open up many paths to a targeted qualification in Germany. This can be the prerequisite for setting up a business.
Last updated on 6. February 2023