Dual Training System Research Articles

Analysing the continuing education needs of Swiss in-company trainers: An approach based on the latent class analysis

In the Swiss dual vocational education and training (VET) system, access to continuing ‘extra-professional’ education for in-company trainers remains relatively limited, despite their acknowledged pedagogical role. Accordingly, this study examined the continuing education needs of in-company trainers by analysing their postures in relation to different continuing-education offerings. Hence, an online questionnaire was completed by in-company trainers (n = 5 295) across Switzerland. The survey questions focused on a number of varied themes and characteristics of continuing education programmes. Latent class analyses enabled us to identify four classes of in-company trainer, distinguished by their relationship with continuing education (‘thirsty for continuing education’ vs ‘indifferent for continuing education’), on the one hand, and by their relationship with the trainer’s function (‘apprentices’ caretaker’ vs ‘dedicated to the trainer’s function’), on the other. Several differences were highlighted regarding the socio-demographic characteristics and preferences for practical courses between the four classes. Our study provides an insight into this population’s heterogeneity and a finer distinction between attitudes existing among in-company trainers about continuing education. In addition, these findings reflect the challenge of recognising in-company trainers as pedagogical figures for apprentices, and not merely as ‘occupation transmitters’. Based on the results, some practical implications for the field are also raised.

The State of Teacher Training in the Conditions of Dual Training

The purpose of this article is to understand and justify the conditions for the use of elements of the dual training system in the implementation of professional educational programs to improve the efficiency and quality of training of qualified pedagogical personnel in secondary education institutions.
 The article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of dual education as a technology for preparing bachelor's degree programs in modern conditions of pedagogical university. Nowadays the topic of "dual training" is a very urgent problem on the pedagogical platform. Because vocational education has never been conceived without connection with the manufacturing sector. The authors describe how dual education is carried out abroad, as well as how the dual education model is being implemented in Kazakhstan. As an example to describe the introduction of elements of dual training, the system of dual training of some pedagogical universities of the Republic of Kazakhstan is presented. The article shows that this technology makes it possible to solve the tasks assigned to the pedagogical university for the training of pedagogical personnel for the system of secondary vocational education. Dual training reduces the gap between theory and practice, promotes the professional development of teaching staff. In addition, it sets new tasks for the higher education system: the development of dual training programs, the regulation of tripartite relations "university – student – employer".

Training strategies of Chinese and British multinational companies in Germany

In the academic literature, the training strategies of the foreign branches of multinational companies have hardly been considered so far. Consequently, it is unclear how these subsidiaries meet their demand for skilled workers. Since the training cultures in the respective countries of origin are often different from those in the host country, research into this topic is of interest. This article is therefore dedicated to the question of how foreign companies from China and Great Britain behave when they come to Germany with the dual training system that dominates here. Based on 11 qualitative interviews, the training and recruitment strategies of these companies are analyzed as well as the effect of the influences on the adaptation to the German environment.

Excellent cases of the Ministry of Education’s supply and demand matching employment and education project:Central South University and China Railway Tunnel Bureau Group Co., Ltd. “Honghu Class”Targeted Talent Training Cooperation Project

Central South University and China Railway Tunnel Bureau Group Co., Ltd. cooperated with the Ministry of Education’s supply and demand matching employment and education project “Honghu Class” directional talent training cooperation project, innovatively built the “Honghu Class” dual tutor team training system, and realized the sharing of school-enterprise teachers and high-quality resources Complementary, the integration of industry and education has entered a substantive stage of in-depth cooperation, promoting the construction of a three-dimensional system of school-enterprise directional talent training and training of “top-notch” talent formation, “integrated” practical training combination, and “directional” employment training, which has strong reference meaning and broad practical space. In December 2023, this project stood out from many projects and was rated as an outstanding case of the Ministry of Education’s supply-demand matching employment education project (a total of 35 projects nationwide). This article introduces the results of this project from four aspects: project background, project cooperation situation and project cooperation content, project main achievements and innovation points, and experience gained.

Is labour migration disrupting dual vocational education and training systems? Empirical evidence from the Danish and Norwegian construction sectors

This article studies how labour migration affects dual vocational education and training (VET) systems. We argue that because dual VET systems rely on employers engaging in training, an alternative source of labour – such as labour migrants – may make employers less likely to train, especially when pressure on industrial relations institutions makes it possible for employers to use migrant labour as low-wage labour. Drawing on linked employer-employee register data from Denmark and Norway, we us logistic and Poisson regression to analyse whether changes in the level of labour migration in regional subsectors of the construction sector in these two countries affects firms’ hiring of apprentices. We find that despite dissimilar developments in the labour migration level, these levels nonetheless correlate with the intake of apprentices in both countries. The results suggest that labour migration into countries with dual VET systems may have long-term effects on their skill formation systems.

Dual form of education within the framework of contemporary educational trends in Ukraine

As a result of the reforms carried out in our society, great changes are taking place in the education system. Taking into account the prospects and priorities of the economic development, modern equipment and technological trends, the urgent problem is the fundamental improvement of the quality of personnel training necessary for the industries and sectors of the economy. Existing work experience of an employee is highly valued by companies, so its absence is the main obstacle for those who are looking for a job for the first time. Many young people fall into a vicious circle: they cannot find their first job, cannot get a job, because they do not have work experience. The practice of mentoring has a large-scale impact on promoting youth employment and is one of the main reasons for reducing youth unemployment. Purpose. The main goal of the research is to study the peculiarities of the organization of the educational process in the conditions of dual education of students. Methodology. Research methods can be divided into two categories – theoretical ones: systematic analysis, synthesis, generalization, analysis of philosophical, pedagogical, psychological, methodological and technical issues related to the research problem, and experimental ones: observation, conversation, monitoring, survey and testing, pedagogical experiment. Innovative methods are introduced into the research process; they are used during lectures, seminars, practical classes, business games, projects, simulation modeling of problem situations, thematic conferences with the participation of employers. Despite certain shortcomings, the dual system of training is one of the successful models of cooperative training and production, which can be used as an innovative type of organization of targeted training. Findings. The work considers the main aspects of the organization of specialist training in the conditions of interaction between educational institutions and enterprises. After all, the organization of the training process at the enterprise according to the dual form of obtaining education is aimed at the formation of special knowledge, abilities and skills necessary for the performance of qualified professional activities. Originality. The authors considered the concept of the development of the system of dual-form education in Ukraine in modern conditions, which takes into account the historical chronology of the formation of this process, formalizes individual stages and initiates the principles of planning the future development of this domestic system in institutions of higher education. Practical value. The results of this study can be applied by scientific and pedagogical teams of educational institutions of higher and vocational education, as well as by representatives of employers who implement a dual education system.

The difference in the skills employment, job training satisfaction and job engagement by training duration among NDTS Apprentices in Southern region of Malaysia

Globalization, technological advancements, and changes in work organization have increased the demand for skilled employment in many countries. In the absence of skills, employers are less likely to be able to find employment and are more likely to face skills-related unemployment, which decreases their competitiveness. In order to address the challenge of promoting skilled employability, the National Dual Training System (NDTS) apprenticeship training programme is an essential component. This enhances the ability of employees to find employment opportunities and earn income with the help of their skills. The development of skilled employability is one of the most effective strategies for ensuring a successful transition to the workforce and the access to career-oriented employment. Furthermore, the NDTS provides employees with the skills, knowledge, competencies, and attitudes necessary to find employment and to survive in an unstable economic environment. The performance of an employee is also related to the level of job satisfaction along with the skills of the employee. It has been demonstrated that satisfied employees perform better, resulting in a higher productivity level in the organization. Also, employees must be provided with necessary job training to ensure they develop the necessary skills to fulfill the requirements of their respective roles as well as prepare themselves for employment in specialized fields. The existence of training opportunities is likely to lead to employees remaining satisfied with an organization for a longer period of time. The improvement of employee engagement and workplace excellence can also be observed in this regard. As part of this study, the focus will be on identifying how the duration of the NDTS apprenticeship training program affects the employment of skilled employees. This will affect the satisfaction of job training, and the engagement of employees on the job.

Can German vocational training combat skill shortages in developing countries? Evidence from dual training system in the Philippines

AbstractThis paper examines the labor market impacts of the Philippine Dual Training System (DTS), a vocational training program that combines firm‐based on‐the‐job training (OJT) and conventional institution‐based training, using a recent survey that tracked graduates from DTS and regular institution‐based programs. The estimation results using fuzzy regression discontinuity design show a significantly positive impact on the most recent monthly earnings. The impact significantly increases with the OJT intensity, measured by the number of hours a week in OJT. The above results imply that vocational training has to be aligned with actual production technologies and work practices to narrow skill gaps and create positive returns.

Development of a digital training for social and emotional competences for medical assistants in vocational education and training in Germany

This paper describes a digital training for social and emotional competences for prospective medical assistants (MAs) in Germany. Social and emotional competences (SEC) are necessary for the collaboration with colleagues as well as for the contact with clients, patients or customers. The German dual system of vocational education and training (VET) therefore considers them as essential parts of the profile of most training occupations. Nevertheless, few materials exist so far for the systematic training of these competences. In former studies three social and emotional competences have been identified as essential for MAs: emotion regulation, perspective coordination and communication strategies. At the same time development needs have been identified for all of them. To address these needs the three hours online training programme SECOTrain (Social and Emotional Competence Training) has been developed, which offers separate training sessions for all three competences. The aim of the paper is to depict how the fostering of social and emotional competences can be approached via a digital training, report our experiences with this endeavour and to discuss associated advantages as well as challenges and ways to deal with them. Digital formats offer new possibilities and chances for education and training, as they facilitate access to the content in a standardized and efficient way. An independent processing of trainings is made possible, regardless of time and teacher. At the same time, this comes along with a risk of overstraining some learners, as problems of understanding or motivation may occur. SECOTrain transfers pedagogical ideas into the context of digital learning to reduce these risks as much as possible. Each of the three training sessions follows the principles of the Cognitive Apprenticeship approach and is inspired by existing theories and trainings. Video sequences of typical critical interaction situations serve as material for explanation, application and reflection to support a strong practical orientation. Effects of the training will be evaluated in a pretest–posttest-follow-up experimental design. The paper presents goals and content as well as methods, pedagogical principles and theoretical foundation of SECOTrain. Furthermore, results of a small pilot study are presented and discussed with regard to further adjusting the training to the needs of the target group. At the end, an outline of the planned evaluation is given.

Similar or Different Training Cultures? German and Chinese Companies in Their Home and Host Countries

For internationally producing companies, training and recruiting skilled workers is particularly challenging. At various international locations, companies often encounter a “skills ecosystem” that differs to a greater or lesser extent from that of the home country. This article considers this problem and examines German companies in Germany and China and, conversely, Chinese companies in China and Germany. Specifically, it examines (1) how the training cultures of companies differ between the home country and abroad, (2) which influencing factors determine the training cultures realized in each case, and (3) what influence the respective nationally prevailing skills ecosystems specifically exert. The findings from these four perspectives document that German companies in Germany use the formal vocational training system of dual training, whereas German companies in China are strongly influenced by the local training culture of in-company learning. Moreover, Chinese companies in China also use this training, and only cooperate to a limited extent with the formal school-based vocational education and training system. These findings show that Chinese companies in Germany do not adopt the dual training system used in Germany. This article analyses these results and discusses the reasons behind them, drawing of a distinction between institutional logic and internal logic.

The Best Practices of Mcdonald’s Malaysia: A Case Study of the National Dual Training System

The National Dual Training System (NDTS) was officially launched in February 2018 and there are five NDTS-approved McDonald’s practical training locations at the early implementation of the NDTS. By 2025, 450 McDonald’s Malaysia restaurants are expected toexpand, adding 10,000 jobs to the current workforce of 12,000 employees. Based on the increasing number of employees and positive implementation of the NDTS program in McDonald’s Malaysia, this study aimed to explore the best practices of McDonald’s Malaysia in the context of NDTS. Methodologically, a qualitative approach was employed in this study by conducting a group discussion with the McDonald’s personnel, document analysis (such as news, annual reports, and websites) and a literature review. From thethematic analysis, the findings highlight the best practices of McDonald’s Malaysia and the positive implications of the NDTS implementation. A review of McDonald's training and skill development around the world provides additional support for the findings. Significantly, this study contributes to promote the best practices of McDonald’s Malaysia, the positive image of McDonald's Malaysia and the positive implications of NDTS in supporting skills development in Malaysia.

THE MAIN CHALLENGES OF DUAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING SYSTEM TRANSFER

Developing countries need practical VET systems that will meet the needs of the economic sector. Ukraine is making efforts to introduce a dual system of vocational education and training and has already faced many challenges in this process. This study highlights the difficulties faced by Ukraine during the implementation of the dual form in VET, and the problems of other countries in this process. The purpose of this study is the analysis of the main principles of the transfer of the dual VET form through the prism of the problems that Ukraine has faced. The study is based on such authentic sources as articles, international studies that made it possible to structure the knowledge base to describe the object of the study. The findings show that direct transfer or implementation poses numerous challenges and difficulties and shows that close cooperation between all stakeholders as well as shared awareness and commitment of all participants in education is paramount for successful VET transfer. It is concluded that it is necessary to clearly and systematically consider the issue of direct implementation of the German dual VET experience in another country with the obligatory preliminary study of specific challenges and specific resistance factors.

A CONCEPTUAL PAPER OF ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT IN SABAH

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to investigate the link between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial education in relation to entrepreneurial intention. The unemployment rate in Sabah continue to rise from 5.8% (2020) to 8.0% (2022), where the unemployment rate increased by 2.2% between 2020 and 2021. By 2024, there may be a quarter of a million youngsters unemployed in Sabah, according to the Sabah and Labuan Skills Training Centre-National Dual Training System Association. The study uses quantitative approach in this investigation. The theory planned behaviour (TPB) that connected the relationship between entrepreneurial passion, entrepreneurial education, and entrepreneurial intention served as the foundation for this study. The selected respondents are final-year students who have taken an entrepreneurship course as part of their studies. A convenience sampling will be use in this study to collect data from respondents using a survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire will be distributed to respondents via online Google forms. The data generated from the sample will be transcribed and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Smart PLS 4. Previous findings shows that there is positive relationship between entrepreneurial passion, entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intention. The sub-dimension for entrepreneurial passion is based on inventing, founding and developing. The research findings have implication for academics of entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship central, program evaluators, government agency and policymakers.

Company-based trainers: attitudes and career-paths in French-speaking Switzerland

ABSTRACT Vocational training is the most popular form of post-compulsory education in Switzerland. Two-thirds of young people end up in vocational education after compulsory schooling, of whom around 80% go into the dual training system. This involves the weekly rotation between one or two days of school-based theoretical and practical instruction and three to four days of company-based practical training, under the guidance of on-the-job trainers. The role of these on-the-job trainers has not been extensively studied to date. This thesis aims to fill this research gap by highlighting the internal diversity of this group. To so do, the thesis adopts a qualitative and comprehensive approach, relying mainly on 80 semi-directive interviews carried out with on-the-job trainers in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The analysis draws extensively on concepts and notions drawn from the sociology of work. With the help of a descriptive typology, four ideal-type profiles of on-the-job trainers could be identified: ‘entrepreneurs’, ‘artisans’, ‘converted’ and ‘resigned’. These ideal types reveal the diversity of on-the-job training practices, depending on the professional ethos of trainers and the concrete conditions under which they carry out their duties. Comparison of the four ideal types also sheds some light on the major challenges facing the Swiss on-the-job training system at present, namely the lack of time to train and the lack of recognition for on-the-job trainers. On the basis of these results, we make a series of recommendations for the various institutions involved in the Swiss dual training system.

The Challenges for Indonesia to Integrate Dual Vocational Education and Training System

The quality of Indonesian graduates from Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs is low and does not fulfil industry requirements and competencies. This is occurring since the talents or skills required by the sector differ from those accessible on the demand Hence, developing nations require practical VET systems and dual systems. Indonesia has recently attempted to examine the Dual Vocational Education and Training system in greater detail. This study investigates the challenges encountered by Indonesia throughout the implementation of its dual VET system and how they overcame them to ensure effective delivery. Notably, the primary goal of this literature study was to provide theoretically announced and policy-relevant understandings of the obstacles or challenges that every nation would encounter while establishing a dual system. This study combines empirical survey results from Germany and Switzerland to identify significant challenges and critical success criteria for the transfer. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) were used to guide the conduct of a systematic review. The results show that the direct transfer or implementing present multiple challenges and difficulties that comprise Challenges for The Public Sector and The Public-Private. On the other hand, for a successful transfer of VET tight cooperation between all stakeholders and a shared awareness and deeper knowledge of the contextual conditions in the target nation are paramount. Therefore, the question of whether the dual VET system in German or Switzerland can be directly implemented in another country, without first examining specific challenges and difficulties of each context, must be clearly and systematically considered.

Dual Vocational Education and Training Systems’ Governance Model and Policy Transfer: The Role of the European Union in Its Diffusion

Some southern member states have undertaken the reform of their vocational education and training (VET) systems so as to promote dual apprenticeship, such as that which is promoted in Germany. During this process, the European Union (EU) has exercised an extensive influence. This paper advances the analysis of the role exercised by the EU in this stage of cross-national attraction by analysing the model of VET governance promoted by European institutions. The methodology consists of a reflexive thematic analysis of the EU VET texts. A total of 35 texts from the EU institutions was analysed by using NVivo. This produced three themes under the overarching theme of fostering a more pluralistic governance system: promoting cooperation among stakeholders in the design, management and financing of the system, enhancing social dialogue and strengthening responsiveness to change in the world of work. This analysis concludes that the EU, as an agent of the policy transfer process, encourages the implementation of a cooperative governance model of VET systems, such as that present in the dual VET systems of certain member states with collective skill formation governance regimens such as Germany, Austria and Denmark.

Who benefits from Dual Training Systems? Evidence from the Philippines

Rising youth unemployment rates have been increasingly recognized as a serious challenge in developing and advanced economies, suggesting a potential skills gap between the demand and supply of recent graduates. Effective dual education programs which utilize a combination of classroom instruction and practical skill training are usually presented as an approach to develop a skilled workforce and meet employers’ demands. This paper analyzes data from a recent survey tracking graduates from the Philippines’ Dual Training System (DTS), as well as from regular programs provided by technical vocational training institutes. The evidence suggests that the DTS has a signi!cantly higher rate of returns on labor market earnings than regular, classroom-only vocational training programs, particularly among high school graduates who did not perform well academically during basic education. The magnitude of the impact of the DTS is also likely to increase in correlation with the intensity of the on-the-job component.

Collective Skill Formation Regimes in Times of Covid-19: A Governance-Focused Analysis of the German Dual Training System

Context: Covid-19 poses major challenges for vocational education and training (VET), as VET—in contrast to general education—is closely linked to the economic system and cannot escape the impact of current economic restrictions. Additionally, strict infection control regulations, as well as temporary school and company closures, inhibit the teaching of practical skills at the workplace. Rapid action by the responsible actors is essential to ensure that VET can take place even under these difficult conditions. It can be assumed that both the complex decision-making processes and the multiplicity of actors involved in collective training systems complicate or delay the reaction to this exogenous shock. Using the example of the German dual training system, this explorative article aims to examine the ability of collective training systems to deal with the challenges posed by the pandemic. Methods: Based on a document analysis, various publications (e.g., press releases, reports) by central actors of the German dual system were reviewed, which provided information about the provision of training activities as well as the measures taken or required to counteract the pandemic-related consequences for dual apprenticeships. This corpus of literature was expanded by scientific studies and publications from national or international institutions related to VET. Following a governance-analytical and actor-centred perspective, the documents were analysed with regard to the indications they provide about the realised coordination of action between the actors, the realised processes and outcomes, as well as the levels affected within the VET system.Findings: The way of dealing with the crisis demonstrates that the German dual system is influenced by the actions of various actors at multiple levels. Actors who are involved in the decision-making processes share common interests, resulting in a strategically bound cooperation among them. However, influence or power from bottom-up seems to be rather limited, as not all of the actors considered in this study are included in essential governance processes. Despite the comprehensive reactions to the pandemic, problems and optimisation needs are also apparent, e.g. with regard to vocational orientation or the support of vocational schools.Conclusion: Despite its complexity, the dual system as a collective training model is capable of acting and adapting to face the challenges posed by the pandemic. This may also be due to the historically entrenched corporatist structures within the dual system: Even in times of crisis, the trust in this historically evolved institutional framework leads to a high degree of accountability and cooperation among the decisive actors.

Why Do High‐Performing School Leavers Aspire to Occupations Atypical of Their Qualification?

In Germany, the dual system of vocational education and training is an attractive alternative to tertiary programmes for school leavers with a higher education entrance certificate (HEEC). Most adolescents with this qualification opt for training occupations where the majority of apprentices hold an HEEC (e.g., bank clerk). This decision seems sensible considering that such training occupations are difficult for people with lower school‐leaving certificates to access and promise better career outcomes. Nevertheless, some adolescents with an HEEC enter occupations that are not typical of their school‐leaving qualification. This article examines under which circumstances adolescents with an HEEC aspire to training occupations atypical of their level of education and thus accept lower career outcomes. Following the rational choice paradigm, we expect differences in perceived benefit and probability of success between school leavers with an HEEC opting for HEEC occupations as opposed to non‐HEEC occupations. Using data from the 2018 DZHW Panel Study of German School Leavers With an HEEC, our logistic regression models show that the individuals’ self‐assessed strengths and their occupational goals explain why they aspire to training occupations atypical of their qualification. Contrary to our assumption, adolescents from academic families are not less likely to aspire to non‐HEEC occupations.

Higher Technical Education System in Germany

The article offers a description of the system of higher technical education in Germany. Being a leading country, it has been implementing new stages, schemes and plans of the education development for many centuries; its learning technologies are borrowed from other countries, and students from all over the world dream of getting into one of the higher education institutions. This country is one of the leading countries in the technical specialists training, and therefore it is analyzed and systematized the system of higher technical education in Germany in the article. The higher technical institutions are divided into universities and higher applied professional schools and the curriculum examples are provided. There are different study areas in German technical universities and they are represented and compared. Different education programs at various faculties of educational institution are described in the article. The learning hours are defined, the practical and theoretical percentage of studying is illustrated. It is discussed that professional higher technical education in higher applied professional schools in Germany is based on the dual training of workers in various specialties. The dual training system is defined. The number of international students, the countries where they come from are shown. It is stated that Germany is an open country for international students and study here is widely oriented on new comers. It is actualized the education payment ways and described the possibilities of free learning. The authors conclude that universities represent a general model of learning while a student may combine learning with work in higher applied schools. A student can choose between full-time and part-time forms of studying.