iMOVE has recently published a new brochure which features eight success stories regarding the training of trainers, realised in a joint effort by German and international partners. The brochure is available in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, English, and Russian.
Lifelong learning is now a reality, not just for students and apprentices but also for trainers. It is a practice - only if you keep learning, you will never forget what it is like to be a learner.
The Training of Trainers (ToT) is a high-level professional capacity-building process for qualified instructors, facilitators and supervisors. In order to have a real and inspiring impact on the learning processes and experiences of young people, trainers need to undergo comprehensive training measures themselves. These should be designed to develop or refresh the instructor's ability to run exciting and effective programmes.
This process is usually aimed at familiarising the trainer with the specifics of new or revised contents. These often relate to the general characteristics of the profession and provide answers to questions regarding the required abilities and competences of the instructor, how to manage a group and its processes, how to perform an exercise, and how to design a course. However, personal qualities, characteristics and skills play an equally important role. Ideally, the participants gain insight into their own approaches and an understanding of how to kindle the creative spark in others on a personal level.
Tailor-made ToT enables trainers to help apprentices and trainees move through different learning stages - to know, to understand and to do – and also to adapt their programme design to the different learning styles of their participants. Key is also to provide a safe learning environment and be in contact with all participants, their learning goals and concerns. Thus, they can help people accelerate their personal development, become more successful and self-confident, as well as set and reach new goals in life.
Germany's economic success is reinforced by its expertise in vocational education and training (VET) and its dual training system. One of the five main principles of this system is assuring that VET staff are specifically qualified to impart their knowledge through training. "Training – Made in Germany" offers the necessary know-how and quality in order to increase the added value for international partners. Germany has a long-standing tradition in this field and enjoys a high reputation for the demand-driven and practical orientation of its qualification programmes.
Cooperation on ToT programmes is particularly successful since this German experience is adapted time and time again to the specific needs of each individual case. The integration of professional, social and methodological competencies is at the forefront of what German partners can provide.
