Federal Economy Ministry's new training regulations come into force
Once again, at the beginning of the new training year, more than half a million young people take up an apprenticeship. To keep the dual vocational education and training system up to date with changing demands, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the social partners have modernised a number of training regulations. The new regulations came into force as per 1 August 2015. Moreover, the new vocational training occupation of industrial fire fighter received state recognition for the first time.
Federal Minister Sigmar Gabriel: "Careers within the dual vocational education and training system have seldom been as promising as they are today. The German economy is dependent on a well-trained skilled labour force. The dual system of vocational education and training can keep up with the technical developments in the world of work only by way of ongoing adaptation and renewal. Yet vocational education and training can only be so successful, because each day thousands of people commit themselves to it: both at the vocational colleges and in the businesses providing training, especially those in the trades as well as small and medium-sized businesses. At the beginning of the new training year, my heartfelt thanks go to them for their technical and personal support of apprentices."
It is largely owing to the dual system that Germany has the lowest youth unemployment rate in the European Union. With 328 vocational training occupations, it provides all youths with a broad range of opportunities. These characteristics of the dual system contribute to the fact that Germany attracts global envy for its dual system of vocational education and training.
Examples of innovations in the modernised occupations:
After a six-year trial, the training regulation for machine service technicians has been converted into a permanent training regulation. The new occupation differentiates between a technical and a commercial specialisation. It thus equally provides prospects for young people with an interest in commercial affairs as well as for technically inclined youths.
In the occupation of mining technician, the final examination in particular was adapted to reflect new technology. The examination requirements now clearly differentiate between the special competences required for the fields of civil engineering and deep drilling technology. The effort on part of the examiners was significantly reduced.
In the field of foundry mechanics, the previous differentiation into specialisations will no longer be applied in future. Instead, newly established focus areas have been defined, which also allow for more uniform examinations than previously. Moreover, the examination has been optimised regarding the occupational demands by way of new examination instruments, in particular by the introduction of the 'operational instruction'. The increased alignment with related industrial metal-working occupations improves the options for joint and thus local college teaching provision.
The training occupation of wood mechanic was expanded by a third specialisation, 'installation of interior fittings and construction elements', to provide interior fittings businesses, especially shopfitting businesses, with the opportunity of manufacturing corresponding interior fittings in a one-stop-shop approach including the connecting of supply lines and waste disposal pipes to pre-manufactured connections.
Regarding the training occupation of specialist retail assistant for the music industry, the extended final examination that has been tested since 2009 was evaluated and now adopted as a permanent regulation without changes to the content.
In the textile and fashion industry, the establishment of the two-year training course for textile and fashion sewers and the three-year training course for textile and fashion tailors has created a so-called 'credit model'. Since the content of the first two training years is identical in both occupations, an apprenticeship as 'Textile and fashion sewer' may be continued with completion of the third training year for 'Textile and fashion tailors', resulting in qualification in the latter occupation. This credit model provides especially more practically inclined youths with an optimal start into an apprenticeship and the world of work.
The revision of the training regulations for violin makers, bow makers, candle makers and wax sculptors targeted the traditional crafts to ensure that businesses in these sectors will continue to train their skilled labour supply according to the latest standards also in the future. In addition, the occupational title for candle makers and wax sculptors was changed from the previous title of chandler in order to better illustrate the key aspects of this occupation.
The new regulations for the occupations of 'Prefabricated concrete constructor', 'ashlar maker' (previously: concrete stone and terrazzo maker), 'Specialist for leather making and tanning technology' (previously: tanner) as well as 'Orthopaedic shoemaker' adapted in part relatively old training regulations to reflect new developments in these sectors and aligned them to the standards of current training regulations.
In addition, the extended final examination was introduced for the occupations of 'Specialist for leather making and tanning technology' and 'Orthopaedic shoemaker', so that the results of the first part of the examination (until now intermediate examination) will form part of the overall examination result.