03. May 2012

German-Russian Conference on Vocational Training in Kaluga

Experts from the fields of politics, science and business met for the German-Russian Vocational Training Conference entitled "Modern Vocational Training: Challenges and Perspectives for Business and Society" from 29 to 30 March in Kaluga.

On the German side, participants included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, iMOVE and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) as well as the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce Abroad, German industrial companies and providers of vocational training and continuing education.

German-Russian business relations are on the rise: In 2011, trade turnover between the two countries amounted to 75 billion Euros. 6,300 German companies are currently doing business in 85 Russian regions. Many of these are medium-sized companies which have shifted their production to Russia.

One typical problem of this growth market is however the shortage of skilled labour under which the Russian companies and German companies present in Russia are both suffering equally. As initial countermeasures to combat this problem, many of the German companies in Russia have implemented innovative training concepts at the regional level, set up training centres and introduced a dual vocational training system pattered after the German model.

Experts from the fields of politics, science and business recently met to contribute toward eliminating the shortage of skilled labour. "Modern Vocational Training: Challenges and Perspectives for Business and Society" was the title of a German-Russian conference on vocational training held in Kaluga, around 200 km southwest of Moscow.

Vocational training is one of the four thematic pillars of the "German-Russian Year of Training, Science and Innovation 2011/12." During the common fiscal year, the two countries redoubled their efforts to qualify skilled employees, thus investing in the future of their countries.

Examples of Modern Education

On the eve of the conference, the participants toured the Volkswagen Group Rus (VWGR) factory and the College of Information Technologies and Administration in Kaluga with which VWGR cooperates in training matters. There they were able to get an idea on site of the local modern working and training conditions.

Since 2010, the College and VWGR have cooperated in training in five professions. The curricula of these professions meet, on the one hand, the Russian vocational training standards and, on the other, have been linked to the German Standards for auto mechanics, mechatronic specialists, vehicle painters, construction mechanics and production mechanics. Graduates thus receive not only the Russian state diploma but also certificates from VWGR and the German Chamber of Commerce Abroad in Moscow.

Conference Participant at the Volkswagen Factory Tour

Employees of the Volkswagen Factory in Kaluga

Central topics of the vocational training conference in Kaluga included the dual system of vocational training in Germany and its transferability to Russian settings. The private sector's responsibility for training was brought up as was the State's responsibility for establishing training standards and a quality management mechanism.

The participants agreed that successful regional projects for vocational training could play a pilot role for other industries as well as at the Federal level. Both the German and Russian sides were in favour of establishing and expanding joint vocational training initiatives. In the near future, they plan to focus even more intensively on vocational education in a bilateral fashion at the government level.

The up-and-coming industrial centre of Kaluga stands out through a high concentration of foreign companies and a low rate of unemployment. According to Anatolij Artamonov, Kaluga's governor, the dual system of vocational training developed in Germany, the practical relevance of which will be incorporated to an even greater extent in the scope of training in the region, strongly contributes to the sizable percentage of highly skilled employees who have, in turn, helped bring about the economic boom.

In his welcome speech, Artamonov emphasized the highly significant role that the cooperation of German and Russian partners in training already plays in the region today. By way of example, he mentioned the College of Information Technology and Administration. Over 6,000 employees have already completed continuing education programmes at this institution which operates in close cooperation between Kaluga and the German automobile manufacturing group Volkswagen.

Artamonov announced the upcoming launch in the city of Obninsk (Kaluga Region) of a project funded by the Russian Federation to expand the local pharma cluster. TÜV Rhineland will be involved in setting up the training centre for the pharma industry. Cooperation with German partners are also sought at the post-secondary level as well.

Dr. Georg Schütte, State Secretary at BMBF, was impressed with the successful regional training initiatives in German-Russian cooperation and pointed out that they could have a pilot function, not only for other sectors but at the federal level as well. According to him, young people with sound training gain not only occupational skills but also opportunities for the future. This is also reflected in the low rate of unemployment amongst young people in Germany.

In his portrayal of the dual System, Schütte highlighted the importance of cooperation amongst companies, trade unions and the State as social partners and their responsibility in the modern working world.

Schütte underscored the German government's interest in German-Russian training partnerships. In this context, he mentioned the Cooperation Agreement between the German BIBB and the Russian Federal Institute for the Education Development (FIRO) "German-Russian Year of Training, Science and Innovation 2011/12," which was concluded in Moscow.

The alignment of vocational training standards and curricula in Germany and Russia are aimed at, in the long-term, achieving standards recognised throughout Russia, beginning with a pilot project for the training of automotive mechatronic specialists.

As another project funded directly by the Federal Ministry of Education, he mentioned "Russian Industrial Skills Training," in the scope of which a training centre for industrial trade will be established in Kaluga.

The Russian Deputy Minister of Research Inna Bilenkina announced that both the German and Russian sides intend to work towards making vocational training a thematic focus of the currently planned German-Russian intergovernmental consultations.

In her opening speech, she offered a look into various training projects in which the Russian Federation is currently investing. She described in detail an industry-oriented Federal development plan in which vocational training plays a significant part. 450 million Euros are earmarked in the Government's budget for this programme up to 2013. These funds are intended amongst other things to optimise the technical equipment in training facilities as well as the training of the trainers themselves.

Bilenkina emphasized that the private sector needs to be included to an even greater extent in vocational training in order to improve the quality of training. By way of example, she mentioned a successful project aimed at developing vocational training standards in the automotive industry, a project in which both the leading Russian automobile manufacturers and the Volkswagen Company are involved.

Speaking for the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce Abroad, Chairman Michael Harms pointed out the commitment demonstrated by the German business world in Russia to date as well as the opportunities afforded by public-private partnerships. Moreover, he stressed the role of the Chambers of Commerce and Industries in testing and quality assurance in vocational training and continuing education.

In the subsequent speeches, German and Russian experts spoke about developing training standards, establishing training centres and the experiences of German companies in Russia with regard to the qualification of staff.

In addition, a round table with training providers was held on the afternoon of the conference. Here, the German Management Academy of Lower Saxony (DMAN), Gesellschaft für Schweißtechnik International mbH (GSI SLV Baltikum), proLean Consulting, Landesakademie Esslingen and Festo Didatic presented the training programmes they offer.