News about VET from Germany

With the start of the new apprenticeship year, 102 young people from Vietnam were the first from their country to begin a geriatric care apprenticeship in Germany. This launched the decisive phase of the Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology's (BMWi) pilot project to provide vocational education and training for future geriatric care professionals from Vietnam.

Working on behalf of the Federal Government and acting in conjunction with the social partners and with experts from the field of company practice and the Federal Aviation Office, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has now updated the regulations governing the three-and-a-half years of training in the occupation of aircraft electronics technicians.

Representatives from Indian industry visited educational institutes in Germany from 23rd - 25th October 2013. The aim was to gain insight to the range of services provided by German vocational education institutions.

Apprenticeships, too, can launch a career. This applies in particular to young skilled workers, who have achieved a very good graduation result in their industrial training course.

There are only a few well-trained mechanics and a few experts for metal processing in the aviation industry available in West Africa. High-quality specialist training combined with practical experience is almost unknown. The HELOG KG recently launched a project to establish a maintenance training facility in Monrovia.

Since nearly 60 years, the CJD Zehnthof Essen offers education programmes for young and also adult people that are tailored to demand. Of particular importance as well as an invaluable advantage: the co-operation with numerous public body clients, with the chamber of industry and commerce and other businesses that are active within the industry and therefore can offer apprenticeship placements, permanent employment or at least temporary jobs.

The OECD pays tribute to the significance of the dual vocational education and training system in the battle against youth unemployment. A belated insight, thinks education expert Friedrich Esser.

In particular for small and medium-sized enterprises, school grades continue to be an indicator of their applicants' motivation, said Markus Kiss, Head of Department Education and Training Policy at the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK).

During a visit to Eichstätt and Ingolstadt, which was organised by Michael Köck, head of the degree course for vocational college teachers at the University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, an Italian delegation was given the opportunity of gathering insights into the German vocational education and training system.