Dual system safeguards innovation

Successful innovations originate within a team. German researchers and developers working within enterprises and research institutions advance their inventions only in cooperation with qualified trained personnel. The dual vocational training system guarantees the professional and social qualification of employees. It enjoys a high degree of acknowledgement both on a national and international level.

The professional education system in Germany offers young people a broad range of recognised occupations requiring formal training. The exact number of such occupations varies each year, since new vocational training professions are newly instituted, existing ones are modernised and occupations with a low degree of demand cease to exist. According to the data provided by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training the current number of jobs requiring formal training is 348.

Many professions originate within the context of the economy's innovation capability and follow its requirements. The employers are involved in determining the training content via chambers and associations and, in contrast to other countries, are firmly integrated within the German vocational training system. "Between 2001 and 2010, 45 occupations were newly created, 163 were modernised", explains Dr Günter Walden, Head of the Department of Sociological Foundations of Vocational Education and Training at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training.

Practical vocational training

New recognised occupations requiring formal training have been created or have been adapted in particular with respect to the new key technologies, such as materials technology, nanotechnology, optical technology, microsystem technology or life sciences.

About 60 per cent of the 15 to 16-year-olds in Germany decide to enter into vocational training at the end of their compulsory schooling. "This potential of non-academic employees is of central significance for the innovation process and for the high degree of research efficiency in Germany compared to other countries", knows Prof. Dr Sigmar Wittig, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Karlsruhe and Head of the Executive Board at the German Aerospace Centre between 2002 and 2007. In his view, this applies to the developments within enterprises, research institutions and university institutes.

"The coordinated cooperation between excellently trained technicians, laboratory assistants and technically skilled and experienced specialists on the one hand and the application-oriented scientists and development engineers on the other is an indispensable requirement for the success of innovative, high-quality products", continues Prof. Sigmund Wittig. He further stresses the importance of their process knowledge and experience in particular with regard to the first steps in the advance development phase, the provision of models and prototypes as well as testing, implementation and practicability review. He sees a multitude of new ideas and suggestions and even patent applications originating from this collaboration. "Our research on the employment trend confirms this complementary interrelation", remarks Dr Günter Walden. The employment of university graduates produces an additional demand for employees with a medium level qualification.