Abstract
Many young people are left without apprenticeship training, especially in large cities. To address this problem, companies in Bremen have been required to pay an apprenticeship levy since 2025, which is used to set up a levy fund. Companies that offer apprenticeships then receive financial compensation from this fund. In Berlin, too, the state government has agreed to introduce such a training levy. However, the reforms are controversial. Based on national and international research, this study explains the conditions under which such a levy can have the intended effects and what needs to be considered when designing such a levy. Furthermore, it analyses the market for apprenticeship training in Berlin and Bremen to determine the extent to which these conditions are met there.