Germany's national employment agency plans to help young people in ailing euro-zone states to secure vocational training and jobs in their own countries and in Germany. It plans to hold a conference with agencies from Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal and eastern EU members in January to find areas for cooperation.

The German Federal Employment Agency plans to help job agencies in crisis-hit countries to tackle soaring youth unemployment, SPIEGEL has learned.

Germany has the lowest rate of youth unemployment at just 8 percent. The jobless rate among young people in ailing countries like Spain is as high as over 50 percent.

There is strong interest abroad in Germany's dual system of vocational training through factory apprenticeships and in colleges.

"Maybe we will be able to lay the foundation for closer cooperation at the conference," said Becker. That could take the form of German companies offering their mix of school and on-the-job training abroad as well.

Read More at http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/german-labour-office-to-provide-job-advice-for-struggling-eu-nations-a-852359.html

Related Article   Saving Southern Europe's 'Lost Generation' of Jobless Youth  http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2994

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