applicants with names perceived to suggest a migration background are disproportionately disadvantaged in the competition for apprenticeship placements.. The findings, released on Tuesday, indicate a significant disparity in response rates between applicants with German-sounding names and those with names associated with different cultural backgrounds.
The research suggests that in approximately two-thirds of cases, applicants with names traditionally considered German receive a reply from potential employers. Conversely, individuals with names such as “Yusuf Kaya” or “Habiba Mahmoud” frequently do not receive any acknowledgement of their applications. This disparity, according to the study, stems from anxieties among businesses regarding the perceived additional effort involved in employing individuals with migration histories.
The data highlights a stark difference in response rates: applicants with a name like “Lukas Becker” average 67 replies for every 100 applications submitted, while applicants with a name like “Habiba Mahmoud” receive only 36. The study attributes this discrimination to a range of factors, including fears about language proficiency and underlying cultural biases.
Ekkehard Köhler, the study’s author, emphasized the detrimental impact this trend has on Germany’s potential workforce, particularly within the skilled trades sector which is facing a critical shortage of young workers.
The research team conducted an extensive investigation, sending over 50,000 email applications to apprenticeship providers and surveying approximately 700 companies to gather firsthand experience. The findings indicate that strong academic records and extracurricular activities, such as participation in science competitions like “Jugend forscht” do not necessarily improve an applicant’s chances of receiving a response.