"Karliczek meets…" a future vocational skills world champion?

They are the best in their specialism - and are competing at the world championships of vocational skills. Federal Minister of Education and Research Karliczek met with the German "WorldSkills" team in Berlin. "They represent the outstanding level of vocational education and training 'made in Germany',” she explained.

From 22 to 27 August 2019, the vocational elite from 67 countries will compete in Kazan in Russia across a range of sectors including creative arts and fashion, transportation and logistics, the skilled trades and IT. They are all aiming to become "WorldSkills" 2019 world champion. A team from Germany will also be involved and they met with Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek in Berlin. Participants will compete in more than thirty occupations.

Karliczek stressed that she wanted to show young people the opportunities offered by vocational education and training. For this it was important for vocational guidance to be firmly established in all schools. "Only in this way can all young people find the occupation which is right for them," explained Karliczek. And she had one more piece of advice for the championship team to take away with them: "Do what you enjoy - that will serve you well!"

One of the participants competing as a pastry chef in Kazan has done exactly this. "I completed the upper secondary school-leaving certificate. An apprenticeship was never an issue in my class - that tended to be regarded negatively," she explained. Today she is happy with her decision. She has turned her passion into her profession - and is now one of the best in her field. However, she had one more request for the minister: "This career path needs greater recognition," explained the young pastry chef.

Digitalisation will change the labour market

This is also a goal which the Federal Ministry of Education (BMBF) has set for itself. Together with social partners, it is updating initial and advanced training as well as the Vocational Training Act. The BMBF is using new advanced training levels to show that vocational and academic education and training are equivalent. The international scope for progression with German professional qualifications will also be enhanced by the Bachelor Professional and the Master Professional. In addition to this, the BMBF is also using the recently published National Continuing Education and Training strategy to help continuing education and training become an established part of an individual's employment history.


Source: bmbf.de (press release of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research), revised by iMOVE, September 2019