News about VET from Germany

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was ratified by Germany in 2009, has focused attention on the topic of inclusion both in educational policy and academic research terms. The aim of inclusion is to secure the societal participation of everyone regardless of individual disposition.

This article examines the background to the concept of inclusion and presents implications for vocational education and training. Taking risks of exclusion as its starting point, it goes on to outline possible approaches towards the development of inclusion strategies at various action levels.

Lufthansa Technical Training (LTT) has been approved as a training provider by the aviation authority of the United Arab Emirates, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). LTT can consequently hold GCAA-recognized aviation basic and type training courses.

Northwood University has recognized seven leading supporters of educational initiatives and learning within the automotive marketing industry with its prestigious Automobile Dealer Education Award during the annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) convention in San Francisco. The list of honorees includes dealers from the United States, Germany and the Netherlands.

At least since the Hannover Trade Fair for Industrial Technology in the spring of 2014, Industry 4.0 has become Germany's synonym for a new Industrial Revolution based on digitalisation, automation, networking and flexible production processes. The resulting production facilities are capable of manufacturing different products and multiple versions of products "to order" without retooling delays.

"We need to further develop vocational training and academic education on an equal footing!", BIBB President Professor Esser emphasised when speaking at a conference in Brussels. In addition to the prospects, he highlighted in his speech the characteristics and performance capability of the dual system.

The Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs, Ilse Aigner, presented the allocation decision for the project "Qualifizierung älterer Beschäftigter in der Automobilbranche für den Umgang mit Hochvoltfahrzeugen" (Qualifying older employees in the automotive industry for dealing with high voltage vehicles) to the Forschungsinstitut Betriebliche Bildung (f-bb) gGmbH (Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training) and the Audi AG at the premises of Audi AG in Ingolstadt.

The German economy is dependent on a well trained skilled labour force. The dual system of vocational education and training increasingly opens up new career opportunities. In order for the dual system of vocational education and training to meet the requirements of a continually changing demand structure, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) has revised several training regulations in time for the start of the new vocational training year.

Good education needs well-trained teachers. This is why the Union for Education and Science (GEW) demands a fundamental reform of the training provision for teachers. It makes the qualification, advanced training and continuing education provision for teachers a focus of its activity with the "Forum for the Future - Qualification of Teachers".

Read an article by iMOVE how the global developments affect the co-operation between Arab and German partners in vocational education and training. The article appears in an Education Guide, which will be released on the occasion of the 6th Arab-German Education and Training Forum.