The Centre of Excellence for Securing Skilled Workers (KOFA), which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), has conducted a study entitled "Occupations with upgrading training – between skilled worker shortages and digitalisation". This arrives at the conclusion that Germany is suffering from an increasing lack of skilled workers who have completed upgrading training, such as master craftsmen, technicians and certified senior clerks.
Germany's company-based vocational education and training system is an object of envy for many Europeans. As has been demonstrated at a conference in Brussels, companies are indispensable to apprentice training.
Interior Minister, Roger Lewentz, has approved a state grant of roughly 140,200 Euro to the Rhineland-Pfalz/Ruanda e. V. (Rhineland-Palatinate/Rwanda) partnership association for two vocational education and training centres and a primary school in Rwanda.
Today, bicycles are lifestyle products containing an increasing amount of technology. This is why, today, bicycle mechanics are known as mechatronic technicians for two wheeled-vehicles. The job has a future.
The facts are sobering. Whereas Germany's universities are bursting at the seams as they attempt to accommodate around 2.8 million students, interest in vocational education and training is in constant free fall. Reforms and financial improvements have now been made to the Upgrading Training Assistance Act in order to send out a signal to young people that apprenticeship occupations also provide plenty of opportunities for advancement. The emphasis now will be more on upgrading training rather than on training leading to a master craftsman qualification. Will this help?
The European social partners have issued a statement outlining their joint vision of training systems in Europe. Strengthening dual training is also an important part of the EU Commission's "Skills Agenda".
Alliance for Initial and Continuing Training takes positive stock and adopts main work focuses aimed at achieving a strong system of vocational education and training
The second cohort to attend the "vocational school plus" programme at Main-Spessart Vocational School in Lohr and the third group to complete special technician training at the same institution have both now completed their courses of study, cramming hard and sitting in the classroom whilst friends and acquaintances from amongst their contemporaries were already earning money and enjoying a normal end to the working day.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) plays a very important role in the different European educational systems. Initial and continuing VET share the dual objective of contributing to employability and economic growth and responding to broader societal challenges, in particular promoting social cohesion.
