Germany said on Monday it would no longer accept applications for a programme to attract young Europeans to its job market due to overwhelming demand from crisis-ravaged countries.
The labour ministry said it had been flooded with interest from job-seekers particularly from struggling Spain and Hungary for the scheme offering subsidized job training, apprenticeships and work in fields lacking manpower. 
“Currently we cannot meet the demand” for the programme, called “The Job of My Life”, a labour ministry spokeswoman told reporters.
Germany, Europe’s top economy, faced criticism from its EU partners for an approach to the eurozone debt crisis that placed a strong emphasis on fiscal discipline, which has been blamed for exacerbating the economic impact among ts weakest members.
Berlin responded with initiatives to fight youth unemployment, both to help a “lost generation” out of work and to fill shortages in its own labour market in fields such as care for the elderly and gastronomy.
The programme is targeted at 18 to 35 year olds and was initially scheduled to run until 2016 but had been extended to 2018.
Those accepted receive financial aid to take German classes in their country of origin and assistance with job interviews and moving to Germany to take up work.
Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at Germany shuts scheme for young unemployed – The Local.
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