Dual Vocational Training Research Articles

The German dual vocational education and training system as ‘good practice’?

The German Dual System has attracted some considerable attention in recent years, with a number of countries, above all in Southern Europe, trying to introduce similar concepts of structured apprenticeships leading to initial vocational qualifications. Quite manifestly, there is expectation among politicians in particular that such a system might help cope with integration problems of school leavers into the vocational education and training sector and support combating youth unemployment. Focusing on the two ‘learning venues’, however, seems short-sighted as the German vocational education and training system has more working principles than just the dual learning setting. In contrast to the British approach, the German system trusts in a clear orientation of workplace learning along the lines of an ‘occupation’ (Beruf). Besides, the German vocational education and training system as a whole is more complex than it seems, with a still weighty ‘transition system’ and full-time courses in vocational education and training alongside apprenticeships. My argument is that the aspect of ‘good practice’ has to be relativised both against the background of these structural issues and in the face of recent academic drift in the German education system.

Dealing with Youth Unemployment and Skilled Labour Shortage

Countries that experience dramatic demographic change, with a seriously aging population and very low birth rates, have been confronted with a steady decrease of an active labour force. South Korea and Germany are such case examples; countries with relatively high youth unemployment and a shortage of skilled labour that can meet the demands of companies and the changing global market economy. This paper investigates and compares the vocational training systems of South Korea and Germany and the extent to which these systems have been successful in training job related skills and in absorbing young people into the labour market. The paper puts vocational training into historical context and examines recent trends and changes. In its’analysis, it focuses on the recently introduced Meister- schools in South Korea and on the German-style dual Vocational Education and Training (VET). The question of how attractive and effective is vocational training is raised in this short investigation. The findings highlight that whilst both VET systems have a long history and many improvements in the school-to-work transition have been achieved, vocational training in Germany has been much more positively received than in the case of South Korea. The paper argues that socio-economic and cultural factors - especially the contrasting values placed on academic education, the different insurance motives of families, and the level of power of the educational industry ? significantly influence the success of vocational training in those countries.

Assessing the financial knowledge of university students in Germany

The importance of professional competence (PC) in business administration (BA) has increased considerably in many industrial nations over the past several years. However, while economic competence is being assessed internationally in the Assessment of Higher Learning Outcomes (AHELO) study, the modeling and assessment of PC in BA needs more research, particularly from an international perspective. We defined and modeled the construct of PC in BA based on theoretical analyses and evidence from international studies and, for the assessment, focused on knowledge of BA as a key facet of PC in BA. In this article, we describe the developed structural model of knowledge in BA and present the specifications and findings for the example of financial knowledge (FK). In the model, we describe cognitive levels of FK in relation to subject content and subject didactics. Moreover, we discuss influence factors on FK. Subsequently, we present the results from the empirical analyses on FK. Assessment data was gathered using an adapted and further developed international test instrument. The sub-sample for the analyses comprised 773 students from 23 institutions of higher education in Germany. We used item response models to confirm the theoretically modeled levels and multilevel modeling to analyze influence factors on FK. The Rasch model showed a good fit to the data and confirmed the theoretically modeled levels. From the perspective of vocational education and training, we investigated the extent to which FK is influenced positively by commercial vocational training completed prior to higher education studies. We analyzed this while controlling personal influence factors, such as mother tongue and gender, and study-related influence factors such as completion of subject-related courses at university, number of semesters, and type of institution of higher education. We found that prior commercial vocational training affected FK even when the other influence factors were controlled. These results support the assumption that during dual vocational education and training students acquire professional knowledge and gain experience related to their job or practical training that are not or cannot be taught in this way at universities or universities of applied sciences.

Youth Unemployment in the European Union: An Analysis of Causes, Consequences and Possible Ways Forwards

The global financial crises of 2007-2008 continue to negatively affect the economies and societies of the European Union (EU). With some exceptions, economic growth is low and youth unemployment figures are high, resulting in significant economic and social costs to nations across the EU. This paper deals with the difficulties of measuring youth unemployment and the extent of the youth unemployment crises in the EU. The paper also investigates the perceptions of the origins of youth unemployment, the social and economic consequences for unemployed youth and EU countries, and the policies that have been implemented in response to the youth unemployment crisis. The question of what is effective in the fight against youth unemployment is raised in this short investigation. Whilst other policy strategies also have their strengths, dual Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes appear to be particularly effective. Countries with an integrated dual VET system, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark, have significantly lower youth unemployment than countries with other forms of training and education. The paper argues that the dual VET system, though perhaps difficult to replicate in all EU nations, represents a key strategy to combat youth unemployment.

Bridging Teaching and Socialisation : Trainers in the German Dual Vocational Training System

Competent teachers and trainers are essential for the quality of education. In the German system of dual vocational training, teachers are responsible for learning processes in vocational schools, while trainers support the young people’s competence development in companies. Three kinds of trainers can be differentiated: fulltime trainers who work in the companies’ training workshop (Lehrwerkstatt), part time trainers accompanying the apprentices during the regular work and external trainers. The focus of this article is to describe the role of trainers in German vocational education and training (VET), to explain how they were trained and to sketch perspectives on the further development of the trainers’ role.

Duale Studiengänge im globalen Kontext: Internationalisierung in Deutschland und Transfer nach Brasilien, Frankreich, Katar, Mexiko und in die USA

This exploratory study is devoted in equal measure to the status quo and the future perspectives of the internationalisation of dual study programmes, a special hybrid form of vocational training and higher education developed in Germany. The authors examine both the degree of internationalisation of existing dual study programmes in Germany (with special emphasis on studentsÂ’ geographical mobility) and the possibilities and limits of systematically transferring this emergent educational model to selected countries. Two recent trends have helped put issues of internationalisation and the transfer of German education concepts higher up on the policy agenda again: first, the current economic situation in Germany, which has remained robust despite the recent financial and economic turmoil, reflected most importantly in comparatively low levels of youth unemployment. Dual vocational education and training models are seen as a key factor contributing to this success. Second, the concept of dual studies reflects an emergent model of skill formation at the nexus of initial vocational training and tertiary education. This innovative hybrid form is seen as having the potential to play a crucial role in the development of competencies for twenty-first-century occupations, not least against the backdrop of the pressing skills gap. (DIPF/author)

Ansätze für die künftige Entwicklung berufsbildender Schulen vor dem Hintergrund der Herausforderungen der demografischen Entwicklung

The debate concerning the demographic developments and the related contribution of vocational education system is taking place primarily in the context of the impending lack of specialized personnel, while the questions regarding the future development of the different kinds of vocational schools (part- and full-time) have been marginalized. Due to demographic developments within Germany and the resulting expected fall in numbers of the age groups crucial to the vocational education sector, the question of how the consequences of this on said sector can be dealt with. Particularly in peripheral and structurally weak regions, vocational schools are finding the retention of specialist classes for dual vocational education and training increasingly difficult due to the shrinking number of apprentices and trainees, which may also endanger the future existence of full-time vocational schools. Structural and organizational approaches to aligning the schools with the framework conditions are necessary in order to ensure that vocational schools can continue to provide differentiated educational offers as close to the places of work and residence as possible, as well as further develop the quality of their current offers. Against this backdrop, this paper offers a differentiated analysis of the demographic developments in Germany and their impact on the vocational education sector, as well as a systematic overview of structural approaches which have been developed by educational policy, educational administration and vocational and business education with the aim of securing the future availability of vocational education and training.

The German dual vocational training system : the origin of the current architecture

'Today's dual vocational training system in Germany is not the result of conscious planning and development, but rather arose within a complex historical process to form a connected whole' (Greinert 1995, p. 19). The current functionality can thus only be understood against the backdrop of its historical development. This history is the focus of this article. It will trace the establishment of central steering components in light of the respective societal context. The focus of this articles is: (1) the role of guilds (in German 'Zunft') in the Middle Ages and the development of a cultural value system; (2) the role of the state in the bourgeois-capitalist society of the 18th and 19th centuries and the development of corporatist steering.

The BIBB Training Panel – An Establishment Panel on Training and Competence Development

Establishments play a major part in the training of the working age population, both within the field of apprenticeship training and in continuing vocational training. More than half of all young people in Germany still receive training within the dual vocational education and training system (VET). Moreover, a significant proportion of all formal and informal continuing training activities either takes place within the establishments themselves or is otherwise instigated by the establishments. In addition to imparting and adapting vocational qualifications, establishments create work-integrated opportunities for their employees to acquire cross-cutting competences. To record such training events, the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has been carrying out the BIBB Establishment Panel on Training and Competence Development (referred to as the BIBB Training Panel) 1 , a regular annual survey of establishments, since 2011. The study is organised in the form of computer-assisted personal interviews. It collects representative longitudinal data on training activities in establishments in Germany. During its initial project phase, the BIBB Training Panel is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for a period of three years and is conducted by BIBB in conjunction with the market research establishment TNS Infratest 2 . The aims of the BIBB Training Panel are to provide timely information for evidence-based VET policy by creating a longitudinal database focused on establishment training and competence development in Germany, something that

Apprenticeship training in Germany – still a future-oriented model for recruiting skilled workers?

The apprenticeship training system in Germany, where training takes place in both private companies and vocational schools, has traditionally played an outstanding role in the development of young skilled workers. However, particularly since the start of the new millennium, the chances of smooth transition from secondary school to an apprenticeship have worsened. As a consequence, there has been an intensive political and academic discussion about whether the German dual vocational training system is still in keeping with the times. In the following, we will examine whether apprenticeship training can continue to be the primary model for recruiting skilled workers. It will be shown that the insufficient number of apprenticeship places in recent years is less the result of any supposed obsolescence of this training system than of the close link between the apprenticeship system and the employment system.

Vocational education and training attrition and the school‐to‐work transition

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of dual vocational education and training (VET) attritions as indicating difficulties in the transition from school to work.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology consists of a content analysis of semi‐structured interviews with 46 young people who interrupted their dual VET during the first year.FindingsThe findings showed that VET “dropouts” experience transitional problems. These can be one of two sorts: diachronic or synchronic. Diachronic problems are related to difficulties with the shift from a standard school system to VET. Synchronic problems are due to difficulties in learning, relational or working environments.Research limitations/implicationsThe results stress the need to widen the definition of transition and to consider the context in which the transition takes place. Further research could compare these results with employers' and trainers' points‐of‐view.Practical implicationsAccordingly, interventions should be taken before and after the precise moment of the shift from school to VET and should include all stakeholders of VET.Originality/valueThe paper encompasses three original aspects: it considers school‐to‐work transition as a process beginning before and ending after the concrete shift to VET, suggesting that a transition is achieved only when the person reaches a relatively stable situation on the workplace; consequently, it conceives VET attrition as an indicator of a failure of the school‐to‐work transition process; and it stresses the influence of the social and the learning environment on the quality of VET.

The transition from school to vocational education and training: a theoretical model and transition support program

This study developed a theoretical model of the school‐to‐work transition and evaluated the effects of a transition support program designed to prepare compulsory school graduates to enter the Swiss dual vocational education and training system. A 13‐session program was designed to improve teenagers' views toward the world of work and enable them to sharpen their interpersonal skills. The intervention's effects were assessed through interviews with participants at the program's completion and 1 year later and with participants' teachers. Findings showed that participants improved their readiness to face the world of work. Implications for future research and programs are discussed.

Differences in the Organisation of Apprenticeship in Europe: Findings of a Comparative Evaluation Study

This article presents a comparative analysis of governance structures in the dual vocational education and training (VET) systems of Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. First a theoretical framework for the classification of plural systems such as dual apprenticeship training is discussed. It is argued that governance in VET can be described according to the coherence of the system on the one hand and the rationale of agency on the other. Moreover, it is assumed that four ideal types of governance can be distinguished. A methodology is presented to implement this framework in data collection and analysis and as an evaluation tool for expert workshops. The study recommends a consistent legal framework regarding the cooperation of learning venues and the establishment of an evaluation and feedback scheme in the shape of an assessment during the training process. In order to efficiently coordinate VET practice, VET policy and VET research, the establishment of a ‘VET innovation system’ is suggested.

Empirische Modellierung von Outputqualität betrieblicher Ausbildung

Output quality is accorded a high degree of significance within the current vocational education and training debate, although the construct itself remains largely unexplained. Based on a theoretical framework model and empirical data gathered from 318 representatives of VET policy vested interest groups, the present paper investigates the issue of which structural components are able to act as a vehicle for the precise definition of the output quality construct in terms of the in-company element of dual vocational education and training. The analyses conducted permitted four dimensions of output quality of in-company training to be identified at a cross-interest group level whilst also revealing that these dimensions are able to serve as a basis for the mapping of interest group specific and differing points of view with regard to the output quality construct.

Higher Education Entry of Turkish Immigrant Youth in Germany

Drawing on three large datasets from the German Higher Education Information System Institute (HIS) from 1990, 1994 and 1999, the study reveals that Turkish youth are considerably more likely than Germans to enter tertiary education. This result sharply contrasts with findings on the Turks' poor performance in primary and secondary school. The higher propensity for tertiary education among Turks can, to some degree, be explained by their lack of familiarity with the German system of dual vocational training and their educational motivation. Another important finding is that among those who enter higher education students of Turkish origin choose, more often than Germans, academically oriented universities rather than the lower-tier applied science universities. This is mainly due to the selection of more traditional fields offered at universities by Turkish young adults. Our results indicate that the educational decisions of these students after the Abitur by no means contribute to the established pattern of ethnic disadvantages in educational attainment in Germany.

Gesundheitszustand und Gesundheitsverhalten von Auszubildenden im ersten Lehrjahr - Erste Ergebnisse einer Befragung in Bielefelder Berufskollegs

Apprentices form the major subgroup in adolescents aged between 16 and 25 years in Germany. Prospectively today's apprentices will display an important role within the society by being the backbone of the future middle class, a socio-economic group of high significance. However, there is little knowledge about the health of apprentices, a major determinant of economic and social capacity. A number of surveys has focussed on the health of adolescents, but these studies failed to provide specific data regarding the subgroup of apprentices. The aims of this study were to survey the health status and the health behaviour of apprentices in a large range of qualified jobs and to point out possible differences be-tween the occupantional fields and gender-specific items. These differences could serve as a starting point for the development of specially-tailored prevention and health promoting strategies in the dual vocational education system. 528 vocational first-year scholars aged between 16 to 25 years were enrolled in the study. A standardised questionnaire concerning life-style attitudes, (physical activity, smoking, alcolhol consumption, drug-abuse, the amount of sleep and dietary habits) was provided in different vocational school settings. The survey was conducted as a pilot-study in vocational schools of Bielefeld in spring 2005. The response rate was 100%. Health risk behaviours were common in apprentices. The percentage of smokers was higher than 50%, exceeding the average rate found in contemporary students. Physiological activity and sleeping quantity was significantly reduced compared to the period of regular scholarship, while drug-abuse slightly decreased. Gender, graduation and the vocational choice had an influence on the health behaviour of the apprentices. Depending on gender and the vocational choice, apprentices differed in their health risk behaviour and therefore require specially-tailored prevention activities. Health promotion and physical activity programs as an integrated unit in the daily life in schools and at the working places are necessary to increase the awareness for health-related life-style factors and to counterbalance the effects of occupational exposure. Based on the results both partners of the dual vocational training are challenged to implement effective and coordinated programmes to maintain health in this population.

Erfolgsfaktoren von Lehrstellenmarketing in der dualen berufsbildung: das beispiel Schweiz

SUCCESS FACTORS OF APPRENTICESHIP MARKETING IN A SYSTEM OF DUAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING: THE CASE OF SWITZERLAND – The dual system of vocational training, utilizing both company training and vocational school, is generally acknowledged to be a successful model, but a decreasing number of trainee posts in Switzerland poses a crisis for the approach. One strategy for overcoming the problem involves offering incentives for companies to create new trainee posts. The present study explores the necessary conditions for successfully influencing the number of trainee posts through apprenticeship marketing. A comparision of qualitative case studies of six marketing projects demonstrates that while context, in the sense of basic structural conditions and political sensibility for the problematic, plays a role in the success of a project, what is central is above all the form of the trainee-post marketing project itself. This has to do with the behaviour of the actors involved as well as the choice of the mode of governance and project organization. The latter has to do with making available requisite technical and personal resources, coordination on the part of the project direction, and giving those responsible the necessary room to act in implementing the project.

Shall I train your apprentice?

PurposeThe classical form of dual vocational training in Switzerland is on‐the‐job training combined with theoretical education in a school. In order to be an attractive educational choice for both enterprises and pupils, the apprenticeship model has to be constantly adapted to the demands of the labour market. As a potential model for future apprenticeship training, large firms started to concentrate their apprenticeship training in one or a few sites. More recently, independent external firms have been set up with the express purpose of training apprentices for other companies. This article aims to discuss these new developments.Design/methodology/approachThis article bases its discussion of the developments on the basis of a unique data set comprising more than 2,300 training companies in Switzerland.FindingsThe observations reported in this article suggest that training in a training centre is a viable alternative to the usual in‐house apprenticeship system where the apprentice is trained within the company. However, training centres will never be an ideal solution for all occupations or for every company. Training centres are primarily worthwhile for investment‐intensive occupations where the main objective is to invest in an apprentice's human capital and thus help ensure a steady supply of highly qualified workers.Originality/valueThe article presents useful developments in the use of training centres.

New Learning Concepts within the German System of Vocational Education and Training

In 1997, a new curricular framework for vocational education and training (VET) schools — ‘learning fields' — was implemented in Germany. As a result, vocational curricula with their elements and contents had to relate to work and business processes and be described on the basis of competences. Regarding the German tradition of curricula, a paradigm shift can be observed, because earlier curricula were organised according to disciplines. In 1998, a pilot programme was launched which focused on ‘new learning concepts within the dual vocational education and training system’ and involved projects in the construction of learning fields, which were implemented in VET schools. These projects developed concepts for the empirical analysis of work processes or tasks and identified the competences required as a basis for curricula, in order to link qualification research with curriculum development. By analysing the different approaches, it became clear that an integration of the analysis of work and the transformation of the empirical results into curricula was necessary. This work also implies a model of competence development, because the focus of this VET research is ultimately teaching and learning practices in VET schools. Research in these areas has to be domain specific because it deals with the content and expertise in an occupational field and therefore requires an in-depth understanding of knowledge and skills in these fields.

The Situation of High-quality Well-educated Intellectuals in Germany

The present article drafts the changes that have taken place in German labour-force structure and labour market in the recent decades. Notwithstanding former trends, the number of university graduates started to decrease in the last five years. As reasons for this the author marks three main factors: demographic trends, decreasing interest in university carriers and the growing ratio of drop-outs. Considering vocational groups, he points out that indirect services and manufacturing cum maintenance services are on the rise, while regarding qualification groups he puts emphasis on the spreading of dual vocational education. In connection with this, the concept of “high-quality well-educated intellectuals” is revised, broadening the category to include also higher educational forms else than university and college education. The article also includes a comparison with an earlier prediction, concluding that automation had greater effects on the structure of labour than formerly expected.