Germany

Description of the VET System in Germany

In Germany, the state’s functions are shared out between the Federal Government and the 16 Länder . Fulfilment of these functions is a matter for the Länder, provided that the Basic Law does not provide or permit otherwise. The Länder are also responsible for public-sector schools and education, and hence for vocational schools, the majority of which come under the responsibility of the Land and a local authority. All legislation on schools, including that on vocational schools, is Land legislation. The Standing Conference of Ministers for Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) is an important institution working to harmonize education policies in the 16 Länder. In contrast, the Federal Government is responsible for in-company, non-school VET. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has general responsibility here, and is also responsible for coordination (including central coordination of the Vocational Education and Training Act, responsibility for fundamental issues of VET policy). In addition, new training directives can be adopted only by agreement with the BMBF.

The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) is recognised as a centre of excellence for vocational research and for the progressive development of VET in Germany. BIBB works to identify future challenges in VET , stimulate innovation in national and international vocational systems, and develop new, practice oriented solutions for both initial and continuing vocational education and training. The BIBB has taken part in the methodological preparation and evaluation of the European Continuing Vocational Training Surveys (CVTS) being conducted in enterprises and has thus been involved in providing and analysing key data on in-company continuing vocational training for German and international vocational training research.

Owing to this division of responsibilities, a procedure has been developed for the field of vocational training that ensures close coordination and cooperation between the Federal Government and the Länder, with the involvement of the social partners.

Once the full-time compulsory schooling (general education) has been completed, students from any pathway (including students who have acquired university entrance certificates) may enter vocational training (full-time vocational schools or apprenticeships) for two, three or four years.

In the area of VET, the Vocational Education and Training Act (BBiG) is of crucial importance. The Law of 1 April 2005 reforming vocational education and training comprehensively amended and combined the 1969 Vocational Education and Training Act and the 1981 Aid for Vocational Trainees Act. The aim of the reform was to safeguard and improve youth training opportunities and high-quality vocational training for all young people, irrespective of their social or regional origin.

IVET

The IVET system in Germany assures the future of young people and of the German society, and it has different paths to vocational qualifications , :

The Dual System takes places in vocational schools and companies and it is a way of preparing young people for the occupation they will pursued on future and integrating them in society (duration: usually 3 years). Every young person who has completed full-time compulsory education has access to dual vocational training. Students may undertake a year of basic vocational education which can be used in the second year of the dual system of training. The vocational school is an autonomous place of learning. Its task is to provide basic and specialised vocational training and to extend previously acquired general education.

Training in the part-time vocational school provides the underpinning knowledge (theory) and technical skills (for example, operation planning, technology, technical drawing, technical mathematics, business studies) to support the training provided in the company. The vocational schools must provide at least 12 hours’ teaching a week, normally eight hours for vocational subjects and four hours to general subjects such as German language and literature, mathematics, economics or other social sciences, religion and sport. A particular characteristic of this training path is its two places of learning: the company and the vocational training school. The dual system provides broad basic vocational training and competences for some 350 recognized occupations. Successful completion provides recognition for employment as a qualified skilled employee. The companies sign contracts with applicants under private law and train them in line with the binding provisions of the vocational training directives which guarantee a national standard. The apprentice is trained in an enterprise for three to four days a week and in the vocational school for up to two days a week. This is monitored by the competent bodies, for example, professional associations as autonomous administrative bodies in industry;

The Full-time vocational schools in Secondary Education Stage II, depending on their emphasis, are divided into three sections: full-time vocational schools; Fachoberschulen and Berufsoberschulen; Vocational grammar schools/specialized grammar schools.

The full-time vocational schools prepare young people for work or vocational training (usually within the dual system) in many occupational areas (e.g. commercial, tradesmen, care services, languages-related or artistic professions) and have the highest number of students (duration: depending on the course of study 1-3 years). The usual entry requirement is successful completion of the general secondary school.

The Fachoberschulen (senior technical schools) and Berufsoberschulen (senior vocational schools) offer two-year training courses. Generally they build upon vocational training in the dual system and deepen occupational knowledge. They culminate in the certificate of entry to the Fachhochschule, which students who have completed vocational training can obtain after one year. With a second foreign language, students may also obtain the school-leaving certificate entitling entry to higher education. Overall, there are many points of transition between school-based and dual vocational training and from vocational training to colleges.

The Vocational grammar schools/specialized grammar schools (berufliche Gymnasien/ Fachgymnasien) provide, in addition to general grammar school education, specialized knowledge in various areas such as economics, technology, nutrition, agriculture, information and communication technologies. They usually lead up to the university entrance examination. It is also possible to acquire an academic and a vocational qualification (duration: 3 to 4 years);

The Fachhochschulen and the vocational education courses. The Fachhochschulen (4 years) and the training academies (3 years but only in some of the Länder), for example, offer a blend of vocational and academic training paths. With the accent on practically oriented training they prepare for occupational activities requiring the use of scientific knowledge and methods;
The vocational education courses are playing an increasingly important role as part of lifelong learning in order to continually improve the occupational competencies of the individual. The State does not play a major role in regulating or organizing this.

Once apprentices complete their training, they may also upgrade their qualifications to a Meister (master craftsman) or technician level . It is also possible for such graduates to enter progressively higher levels of education. Once students have successfully passed the higher secondary school examinations for admission to universities or polytechnics, they enter higher education.

CVET

German citizens also participate in CVET, which includes among other areas, re-training, qualification upgrades, second-chance opportunities for adults to complete school leaving certificates, university entrance preparation, specialist training, foreign languages instruction, and political education. CVET in Germany includes further in-house training which is not regulated, and further training that is regulated by the chamber (for example, the achievement of Meister and specialist or technician-level qualifications). These qualifications and programs are also associated with federal regulations for further training. However, state governments also play a role in supporting continuing education that leads to qualifications.

A constituent element of the institutionalised system of CVET is provider plurality5. This diversity of providers of CVET coincides with a variety of activities offered which cover a very large spectrum both in terms of content and in terms of organisation and methodology.

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance in Germany has traditionally been acquired through state supervision and monitoring of education and training. Recently, BMBF has tasked the BIBB with setting up a National Reference Point for Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (DEQA-VET). BIBB is now part of a European network and has the objective of extending and deepening the exchange of information and experience and boosting sustained collaboration in the area of quality assurance and quality development in vocational education and training. The DEQA-VET's work is aimed not primarily at persons who hold positions of responsibility in the education and training field, but also at organizations, companies and enterprises, which assure quality in their vocational education and training or are working on that.

EQARF Indicators

The following PDF attachment summarises evidence identified that relates any indicators used at national level to the ten indicators proposed in the EQARF recommendation: EQARF Indicators Germany