Chinese delegation visits Vocational College

As part of an international education and training project on the theme of "Vocational Education and Training in Germany", the Willy-Brandt Vocational College welcomed a Chinese delegation of 20 to an information visit lasting several hours.

The delegation had travelled from the Henan province. The Chinese guests — all heads of vocational schools in the areas of Engineering/ Technology — were particularly interested in the organisation of German vocational schools and in education and training in technical occupations.

A detailed tour through the school provided the Chinese visitors with an extensive insight into vocational school teaching with its focus on practice and competencies, and the presence of a well-prepared interpreter meant that specialist discussions with teachers and pupils involved could be conducted without any difficulty.

Ludger Eschenbruch, Head of the Metal Technology department at the Willy-Brand Vocational College, responded to many questions on the examination system in Germany and in particular on the procedures relating to the final vocational examinations organised by the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce.

For the discussion which followed on "Teaching and learning in the Vocational School and as part of dual vocational education and Training", the Willy-Brandt Vocational College managed to bring in representatives of the two mechanical engineering companies based in Duisburg — Thyssen Krupp Steel and Siemens.

This made it possible to provide detailed and authoritative answers to questions from heads of Chinese schools concerning the role of training companies and the cooperative arrangements of vocational schools and training companies in the dual education and training system. Answers were provided both from the school perspective (by the Head of the School and the Head of the Metal Technology) and from the business perspective by Mr Grafers (Siemens AG) and Mr Sting (Thyssen Krupp Steel).