A state program designed to assist trainees is making a significant impact on the care sector by supporting both the trainees and the facilities in need of staff, according to Grimm-Benne. The initiative provides opportunities for young individuals, especially those facing challenging circumstances, to establish themselves in the nursing field.

Since its inception in 2022, the program has benefited 1,335 trainees across the nation.The number of new trainees is steadily increasing,from 513 in the 2021/22 school year to 840 in the 2024/25 school year.

Extensive Support System

The state program operates on two main pillars: a network hub that facilitates dialog between schools and facilities,offers specialized resources,and manages a training portal with digital content. The second pillar is managed by Bildungs- und Beratungsinstitut GmbH (BBI), which provides support, tutoring, and socio-educational assistance.

“Good care needs strong partnerships, especially between schools, institutions and ministries. This is exactly this cooperation is the key to the success of the state program.”

nadine Stephan, project manager of the DRK network office, emphasized that “Good care needs strong partnerships, especially between schools, institutions and ministries. This is exactly this cooperation is the key to the success of the state program.”

Targeted assistance for Challenges

Data indicates that nursing aid trainees increasingly require socio-pedagogical support and learning resources. The program offers targeted intervention when trainees encounter personal, geographical, social, or economic difficulties during their training.

experience from a one-year model project and other apprenticeships demonstrates that this type of support positively influences training outcomes and effectively prevents interruptions, which is crucial for addressing the skilled worker shortage in the care sector.