Continuing training for skilled workers and vocational school teachers in China

The "Coordination Agency for Continuing Training and Employment" (KWB Management GmbH) networks German and Chinese companies, universities and economic institutions. It also initiates German-Chinese cooperation agreements in the field of initial and continuing training and develops training programmes for management and vocational school staff. KWB has been working with fixed partners in China for more than ten years, predominantly in Shanghai and in Zhejiang Province.

The training programmes meet German and European standards. KWB is collaborating with various cooperation partners, including from Zhejiang Province, on the development of sustainable concepts to help secure the skilled workers that are required in China and to transfer educational and training provision "Made in Germany" to the country. Measures are financed by the respective clients.

2016 was a particularly successful year for KWB in the field of international activities. Lili Wu, Manager for Greater China at KWB, worked with speakers from German trade and industry to deliver six training courses to over 600 participants in the regions of Hangzhou, Jinhua and Qingdao.

In October 2016, KWB was commissioned by a Chinese continuing training centre to provide an eight-day course on the topic of the "Internet of Things" to 30 company representatives and representatives and teachers from vocational schools. The course presenter, who was from a market-listed company operating all over the world, used numerous real-life examples to offer the participants a clear demonstration of the benefits and drawbacks of current digital developments.

How can the Internet of Things be integrated into everyday work at companies? Which safety aspects need to be considered? What is behind the buzz word "Industry 4.0"? The above questions formed part of the programme alongside other issues. All participants received a certificate from KWB at the end of the course.

KWB carried out further training courses for the Teachers' Continuing Training Centre in Hangzhou. In October 2016, for example, 150 school directors and vocational school departmental heads had the opportunity to find out about the dual system of vocational education and training in Germany.

The course presenter in this case had himself been a head of department of many years' standing at the Hamburg Institute of Vocational Education and Training and is an expert within the field of the German and Chinese educational systems. This proximity to practice formed the main topic of the training in combination with specialist theoretical knowledge, quality assurance and quality development. The group worked together to investigate possible transferability of the German system to the Chinese training system.

The course on the dual German training system was directly followed by a further continuing training programme for teachers from Zhejiang Province in October and November 2016. 155 participants completed a course on "occupational and higher education study guidance".

They were provided with numerous instruments and strategies to bring about a sustainable improvement in measures aimed at shaping the transition from school to work. One major topic addressed was involvement of parents in this important process.

In the summer of 2016, more than 150 participants attended two training courses organised by KWB on behalf of the educational authorities in the city of Qingdao. Vocational school teachers and company representatives took part in an eight-day workshop on current developments and key technologies in mechatronics that was hosted in conjunction with FESTO China.

KWB held a further course in Jinhua on vocational orientation for lower secondary teachers. The focus was on comparing the German and Chinese educational systems and on the implementation of specific vocational orientation measures.

One particular challenge of delivering such training measures in China is the high number of participants attending the courses. In some cases, one-week programmes attracted in excess of 150 teachers. Learning success can only be guaranteed if very experienced course presenters are in place and if teaching units are especially well prepared and didactically sound.

Language is a further key factor for the success of training courses in China. In order to avoid any language barriers during the programmes themselves, KWB ensures that all teaching contents are translated into Chinese. In her capacity as KWB Project Manager, Ms. Wu also attended all events as a co-presenter. This meant that speakers had access to her intercultural expertise at all times.

The successful interaction of practical learning units and theoretical teaching is also important for training courses in China. Feedback received from the Chinese participants regarding the changeover between various formats such as group exercises, workshops, company visits and theoretical input was consistently very good.

In overall terms, KWB judges the most important factors for ensuring the success of training measures in China to be the expertise of course presenters, the many years of experience in China that the institutions concerned are able to offer, and the intercultural and language competence provided by Lili Wu. Agreement is already in place in some areas to continue the programmes in 2017.