News about VET from Germany

With his 20 years, Mustafa Sahin is one of many apprentices in the Swabian town of Schorndorf. Sahin, who has Turkish roots, is being trained for the occupation of construction mechanic and now enters into the second year of the three and a half year vocational education and training course. The business providing his vocational training is the company Almepro Metalltechnik.

When the executives and employees of the company Dietrich Wetzel in Plauen inaugurate their new building and commission the brand new embroidery machine Epoca-6 it houses, then 19-year-old Daniel Pilz from Plauen will be there, too.

"Coaching 4 Future" was the slogan of the programme attended by tenth-grade students at the educational centre Parkschule. This consisted of an interactive lecture on vocational education and training in the fields of mathematics, computer sciences, natural sciences and technology.

The federal government's career guidance programme makes it easier for young people and late career entrants to choose an occupation. Inter-company vocational training schools analyse the young people's potential and thus help them to discover their talents.

Five years ago, the Senior Experts Service (SES) initiative VerA was launched, which prevents young people from discontinuing their vocational education and training course. A veritable success story: by now, 3,000 apprentices have taken advantage of the SES proposal.

Sarah Jagemann was 19 when she had her twins. As such, a joyful event. But difficult in the period of launching yourself into a career. A regular vocational education and training course of 40 hours per week was impossible with two small children. But an apprenticeship with reduced numbers of hours - that was an option.

At the approximately 8,000 vocational colleges and schools in Germany, apprentices are qualified to work in 340 occupations, but, as yet, the topic of sustainability hardly plays a role. This is something Andreas Fischer, professor for occupational and business education and business didactics at the Leuphana University Lüneburg, wants to change.

Five apprentices from Neubrandenburg were given the opportunity of getting to know Europe in a pleasant way. Together with vocational students from Poland and Slovakia, they met at a vocational college near Lodz for the EU project "Healthy Lifestyle". Yet not just for fun.

Businesses hiring secondary modern graduates as apprentices are usually more than averagely satisfied with them – compared to their expectations. This is the result of a study by the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB).