The Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology and Federal Government Commissioner for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses and Tourism, Ernst Burgbacher, inaugurated the new Singen-based Academy of Education of the Chamber of Crafts Konstanz, together with Peter Friedrich, Baden-Württemberg Minister for Europe.
The building of this vocational education and training institution was funded by the federal government, by the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg and by the Chamber of Crafts Konstanz. On part of the federal government, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research supported the project with 4.9 million Euro each. The Federal State of Baden-Württemberg and the Chamber of Crafts Konstanz contributed approximately 6.5 million Euro and 7.8 million Euro respectively.
State Secretary Burgbacher, "Many envy us for our German dual vocational education and training system. In order to further develop the quality of vocational training and continuing education also in the future, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology promotes and funds the construction, modernisation and furnishing of intercompany institutions of vocational education and training.
These institutions are to disburden the usually small businesses, in particular in the crafts, in their task of imparting specialist educational content and are intended to convey to apprentices and employees new techniques and procedures.
The federal government's financial commitment underlines the high degree of significance vocational education and training has in the eyes of the federal government. For us, vocational education and training in practice and the academic education at universities is of equal value and importance.
The money invested in Singen is an investment into the future and therefore well invested. I congratulate the Chamber of Crafts Konstanz on their modern, new Academy of Education. It is an important contribution towards strengthening vocational education and training in Baden-Württemberg."