Dropping out of higher education may be an opportunity

Every end can be a new beginning. This especially applies to young adults who prematurely terminate a course of higher education study in Germany. The latest figures show that the drop-out rate amongst those pursuing a Bachelor's degree is as high as 28 in 100. Taking such a step is not easy because it is often perceived as failure. Nevertheless, it may also open up new prospects and thus represent an opportunity for the young people themselves, for companies and for the dual system.

 

For many young people, commencing a course of higher education study following successful completion of the upper secondary school leaving certificate has now almost become standard practice. Such a choice is not always based on a conscious decision. Some do not realise that academic training may not be the best route after all until they have started their studies.

How can they regain their courage in a situation in which they seem to have failed? Reflecting on their own strengths, personal interests and competences can help them to emerge from a position of crisis with self-confidence and motivation.

These are characteristics which facilitate entry into the training and labour market. Readjusting abilities and ambitions is often easier with support from family, friends or professional guidance services. It is worthwhile to take advantage of such assistance. Experience has taught us that many young people benefit from such a detour and are able to make a new start with an even greater sense of purpose.

However, students who are thinking of dropping out or who have already made the decision to do so can only prove their qualities if suitable institutions and resources are available. These particularly include companies which, in the light of demographic developments, are increasingly experiencing problems in filling their training places. They have long since identified higher education drop-outs as an effective and motivated target group.

One of the results of an investigation conducted by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) within this context is that those who abandon their higher education studies are especially likely to be undergoing training in occupations which attract increasing numbers of young adults with comparatively high school-leaving qualifications.

Companies with experience of providing training to this target group are not particularly concerned with the presence of a high degree of affinity between the course of study and the training occupation. This also supports the assessment made by the companies that higher education drop-outs generally have good prior training requirements.

Last but not least, the dual system as a whole can benefit from the acquisition of this new target group. According to a BIBB survey of educational experts carried out in 2015, half of respondents were of the firm view that higher education drop-outs enhance the system.

The question as to whether learning from a course of higher education study can be credited towards dual training, what elements can be credited and the extent to which training times can be shortened needs to be addressed within the scope of endeavours to improve the permeability between vocational education and training and higher education.

It is important in this regard to counter tendencies towards the academisation of VET in order to facilitate the conditions for greater credit transfer. The focus here needs very much to be on profiling the strengths of vocational education and training – practically related training which is aligned to the requirements of the labour market – across all levels of the German and European Qualifications Framework and on spelling out the associated career options.


Source: BIBB News (International Newsletter of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education), revised by iMOVE, August 2016