The aim of the main funding focus "New routes into dual training - heterogeneity as an opportunity to secure the supply of skilled workers" is to develop and foster innovative pathways into training.
This seizes the increasing degree of heterogeneity which young people display both as a challenge and as an opportunity. The thrust is on developing and implementing transferable concepts, instruments and methods in order to expand the potential number of trainees and to secure the skilled worker requirements of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular.
Employee skills needs are growing as cycles of innovation become ever shorter. This is not only true of major companies but also applies to SMEs, which are the dominating force in initial and continuing vocational education and training, especially within the dual VET system.
The ability of companies to acquire their own young skilled workers is developing into a crucial competitive factor for them and their employees, particularly in the light of the growing shortage of skilled workers and demographic changes.
Because the size and restricted resources of SMEs generally means that no systematic human resources development or continuing training planning is in place and that there are no internal initial and continuing training structures, they and their employees are reliant on relations with initial and continuing training providers which are based on a spirit of partnership. The developments these providers have undergone over the past few years have seen them complete the transition to becoming training services providers and competence centres in many cases.
The pilot projects pursue various approaches in order to be able to provide requirements oriented support to small and medium-sized companies in particular in dealing with the increasing heterogeneity of young people prior to and during training.
Programme management and evaluation research analyses and analyses of the pilot projects themselves have already shown that SMEs providing training display highly different characteristics including of a heterogeneous nature and accordingly also have very varying needs. The proposed solutions developed are, therefore, also different.
Demographic developments including both decreasing numbers of school leavers and regional and local population development (emigration and migration effects) are requiring SMEs in particular to rethink traditional strategies for the acquisition and selection of trainees and to amend such strategies with regard to present and future skilled worker requirements.
As part of this process, some companies require comprehensive external and internal consultancy regarding human resources development needs including the choice of appropriate training occupations and trainees whereas others require specific competence development on the part of company-based skilled workers with training duties.
Possible measures to integrate young people who can be trained successfully within the company with the assistance of targeted support despite at first glance not appearing to be suitable training place applicants include the following.
- Specific training marketing to assist in the precisely tailored filling of training places
- Securing success in training via constructive teaching and learning in heterogeneous groups enabling SMEs to gain skilled workers and young people to be provided with a qualified entry to working life