00:00Are teenagers in Germany falling behind?
00:02I was easily bored at school.
00:05I definitely do not regret dropping out.
00:07More and more young people are leaving school without basic reading, writing, or math skills.
00:12Some struggle with pressure, some with mental health.
00:15Others simply lose their connection to school.
00:18For DJ, school never really worked.
00:20Later, he was diagnosed with ADHD.
00:23It was overwhelming and it was underwhelming at the same time.
00:26He didn't really know how to help me.
00:28I was kind of just treated as somebody who, like, you know, he's lazy.
00:32Eventually, he dropped out.
00:33DJ's story isn't unique.
00:35Germany has seen student performance hit historic lows.
00:39For a country that has long considered itself a Bildungsnation,
00:43that is, a nation that highly values education, this raises some red flags.
00:48The problem with this?
00:49If the foundation is not solid enough, the whole structure may collapse.
00:54Without training, there is no entry into work.
00:56Without work, there is lost productivity, leaving both individuals and society to pay the price
01:01through higher welfare costs and stalled careers.
01:04But some are trying to catch those that might otherwise fall through the cracks.
01:09In Berlin, this youth training center helps students who struggled in traditional school
01:14settings transition into vocational training, even without a diploma.
01:18For DJ, that meant an apprenticeship in metal construction.
01:22Ruth chose a different path, too.
01:24She left university for a technical apprenticeship with Berlin's district heating provider,
01:28Berliner Energie und Verme.
01:30Now, she already has a permanent contract waiting after graduation.
01:34For some young people like DJ and Ruth, different paths outside the traditional classroom made
01:40all the difference.
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