Recruitment and induction in enterprises

Current European policy processes in the area of vocational education and training have fuelled demand throughout the EU for comparative data and information on VET. Induction processes and development of career entrants as an indicatior for the output and outcome of educational systems is currently being examined by the Federal Institute of Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in the research project INDUCT.

InDUCT was designed as a feasibility study that will end in autumn 2010. One of the aims of this study is to develop and test a standardised survey for examining employer’s recruitment strategies and induction processes. In preparation of developing and testing the survey, case studies were carried out in Germany, Spain, the UK and Finland in two occupational fields: Car Service and Business Administration.

Interim findings from these case studies can be summarised as follows: Differences between countries do exist in terms of the duration, content and structure of induction. German VET graduates are seen as quite will prepared for their work tasks following their initial training and require less induction. Longer induction periods of up to three years are reported particularly in connection with the more school-based VET systems in Spain and Finland.