Advanced vocational training well-established

There are few OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries where the vocational education and training system is as well-established as in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The transition from school to professional life is comparatively smooth in all three of these countries, last but not least due to the manifold options available in the field of vocational training and continuing education.

The vocational education and training of the so-called Sekundarbereich II (second-stage secondary education / dual system) creates a solid foundation for subsequent continuing qualification, in particular by way of postsecondary vocational education.

The latest education report by the OECD "Skills Beyond School" focuses on this advanced form of vocational education, which requires a minimum of six months of full-time learning and can be used both for a career launch and as an additional qualification for already experienced professionals. The report is based on twenty country analyses on the topic, which have recently been compiled by the OECD.

According to forecasts, almost two thirds of the entire job growth in the European Union in the coming years will be in technical and similar occupations. Even today, the highest qualification of about every fifth gainfully employed person between 20 and 45 years in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is an advanced vocational education degree.

These figures indicate that vocational education and training is being perceived as a promising career option in these three countries. This is also due to the fact that graduates of the corresponding training courses are in demand in these labour markets.

"Skills Beyond School" states that vocational education and training could increase even more in desirability in many OECD countries, including the German-speaking ones, if the transition from vocational to academic education were to be improved.

Although Germany as well as Austria and Switzerland have already done a lot in that respect, the simpler forms of access, for example, to universities of applied sciences, are so far still being comparatively little used. In all three countries it often depends on individual agreements between different educational institutions whether previously attained educational achievements will be recognised; this is a considerable hindrance in gaining access.

The report moreover emphasises that Germany and Austria should do even more to ensure that the teaching staff for vocational education courses possess practical experience and pedagogical competences in equal measure.

With regards to Germany, the report advises universities of applied sciences in particular to make sure that teachers and trainers regularly update their qualifications, for example, by spending practical periods in the industry at defined intervals. Universities of applied sciences should also be given the option of hiring more part-time staff, who work in businesses in addition to their teaching responsibilities.

It is already an accepted standard at Austrian institutions of higher vocational education to have industry experts provide also teaching. However, since the mid-1990s, a change to the law has made it more difficult to hire teaching staff from the industry.

Switzerland demonstrates that this can be handled quite differently. Here, a range of flexible agreements allow for the combination of practical and teaching work. At the same time, these agreements ensure that the curricula take the industry demands into consideration.

Practical experience is of equal importance for teachers and students alike. Yet the professional experience of younger students has significantly decreased especially at German universities of applied sciences. Given this situation, practical elements should become mandatory parts of the curricula at schools. Practical vocational training intervals in the workplace are not obligatory in Austria either. If they were, this would have the advantage – in addition to providing concrete experience for students – that employers could become even more involved in shaping the training provision than currently is the case. Switzerland outranks the other two German-speaking countries also with regards to integrating practical training periods. Here, work placements are an integral part of all vocational education and training programmes.

All in all, "Skills Beyond School" argues the case for making government funding for vocational education and training programmes dependent on whether they have mandatory practical parts.

According to the report's findings, there are other elements that can be identified in most successful vocational education and training systems. For instance, it has been proven to make sense to assess at the beginning of a vocational education and training course whether the students are able to do basic calculations and to understand texts.

The first OECD study on adult competencies, PIAAC 2013, has demonstrated that even after finishing school many people lack the basic skills to master everyday life. This is why core competencies such as arithmetic and reading should be integrated into the vocational education and training curriculum.

In addition, successful vocational education and training systems usually feature a broad range of programmes with a multitude of occupational categories. That way, they offer learning options for everyone and minimise dropout rates. Flexible learning models enable also working people to balance their job, family and continuing education. Ultimately, the close co-operation with employers and unions is of decisive importance. This is vital to ensure that the attained qualifications meet the demands of the labour market.