In Germany, 5.3 per cent of all initial Vocational Education and Training (VET) graduates in 2017 had some mobility experience during their training. This is one key result of a research study called "Transnational Mobility in Initial Vocational Education and Training in 2017", published by the National Agency for the Erasmus+ Programme at the Federal Institute for VET (NA at the BIBB).
The European Council defined a benchmark of 6 per cent for VET mobility in Europe by 2020. The German Bundestag on its part set a national benchmark of 10 per cent for VET mobility, also for 2020. Whereas the European benchmark has almost been reached in Germany, the national target still requires additional efforts by all stakeholders.
The study results presented here are based on a representative sample of VET classes in German vocational schools. The study addressed VET learners in their last year of training, VET schools and companies via specific online questionnaires and covered both German sub systems in VET: the dual system and full-time school VET.
The study's focus was placed on the following questions:
- How many VET graduates have been abroad during their initial training and what is their sociodemographic profile?
- Which competences did they acquire?
- Which need for support do non-mobile VET learners and inactive companies or VET schools express in order to become engaged in VET mobility?
This is the first research study on VET mobility in Germany published in English. By its publication, the NA at the BIBB wants to expand the empirical data for evidence based discussions on VET mobility both in Germany and in Europe. We are looking forward to hearing your comments on our findings.