The nursing profession must be open to all, that are suitable! The Association of German elderly and for the disabled e.V. (VDAB) advocated the retention of the ten-year education as a condition of access to the nursing education and for the diversity of the education system. To increase the intended modification of the minimum training conditions of a ten-year general education, twelve years of school or an equivalent successfully completed exam is not goal-oriented from the perspective of the VDAB and would drastically increase the skill shortage. In the face of the shortage needs the care industry of any young person who has primarily social skills in addition to the intellectual assets, such as motivation, empathy, and the ability to collect through interaction with people of experience and knowledge. Education ideological hurdles, such as the requirement for a twelve-year education are counterproductive and not help anyone”, notes Thomas Knieling, Federal Manager of the VDAB, because social skills is not dependent on the level of education.” In the current version, the directive excludes a variety of suitable young people with middle school no comprehensible reason by the specialist nurses. The statement by Federal Minister Dr. Rosler, who oppose the proposal of the European Commission in relation to the conditions for access, strengthened the position of the VDAB.

To do this, Rosler: the care economy is highly efficient. With its proposal, the Commission will exacerbate the skills shortage in Germany, instead of fighting it. The quality of training of nursing staff in Germany needs to fear no comparison and speaks for itself. The Commission would have done well to allow competition of systems, rather than operate egalitarianism at any price.” That the German dual education system in the nursing profession has proved, shows the wide appeal of German nurses from abroad. Also the German education varied has been proven with more than 22 undergraduate Care courses: dual courses, where it is connected to the berufsfachschulische acquisition of the occupation permit with the acquisition of higher expertise, as well as primary qualifying courses.

Generally, the VDAB supports requests the Commission to optimise the care specialist training. The qualification of maintenance personnel can be extended however modular on the basis of the existing structures.”explains Thomas Knieling.