Das Kreuz mit dem Lehrkräftemangel an beruflichen Schulen

Abstract

The starting point of the analysis is the persistent low attractiveness of becoming a teacher in vocational education compared to other professions. The consequence is a persistent lack of teachers in vocational schools especially in the technical subjects. Long-standing efforts to professionalize the field have also been unable to remedy the problem. In order to focus on basic causes, the paper uses profession theory complemented by career choice theory as well as empirical findings. One reason for the low attractiveness is the separation in two educational systems. This reduces the self-recruitment effect which is relevant in the teaching profession. An additional reinforcing factor is the lower regard towards all educational programs that are considered „vocational“. This also has implications for the development of professional aspirations because children seem to orient their career choices towards the gendertype and prestige of the professions, at least from primary school age onwards. Due to the genderinfluence and enhanced by the inconsistency between the technological reference system and the teacher profession the recruitmentproblem occurs in the technical subjects in a different way than in the other vocational fields. But even there is a fit in the interest profile given, to become an engineer seems to be more attractive for young people than to decide for teaching in vocational education. This article evinces possible interdependencies and their modelling.