Vocational Education and Training in Germany: Short Description
- ISBN-10
- 928960476X
- ISBN-13
- 9789289604765
- Pages
- 87
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2007
- Publisher
- Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
- Authors
- Ute Hippach-Schneider, Martina Krause, Christian Woll
Description
In Germany vocational training is the path the majority of young people decide to pursue. The vocational training system is based upon several fundamental social tenets : there is broad consensus that all school-leavers should have the opportunity to undergo vocational training ; to achieve this, a strategic concept was agreed with companies to implement a cooperative training system (dual system) ; in this cooperative model for vocational training the public sector (government, schools) accepts the private sectors as partners on an equal footing ; this cooperative system is legally underpinned by the vocational training law which sets out the respective roles of those involved. Initial vocational training is provided for nationally recognised professions with a common national standard and provides the professional competences required for the transition to the labour market. Continuing vocational training is playing an increasingly important role in the context of lifelong learning in order to continually enhance the professional capabilities of the individual. The State has only minor regulatory and organisational responsibilities. This short description attempts to outline the most important elements of the German vocational training system which in detail is complex. At the same time it aims to highlight important current educational trends and priorities.
