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1 Vocational Education and Training (VET) Key Issues in Germany Berlin, 06.11.2014 Harald Weber
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Key Issues in Germany
Berlin, 06.11.2014
Harald Weber
Institution-based view on German education
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Simplified view with focus on VET
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Mainstream schools
Special schools
Dual VET
School-based VET
Special VET
Employment
Sheltered employment
Tertiary education
Simplified view with focus on VET
4
Mainstream schools
Special schools
Dual VET
School-based VET
Special VET
Employment
Sheltered employment
Tertiary education
(Upper secondary) vocational school in combination with a VET
hosting company; apprenticeship contract
For simplification two additional, preparatory provisions (transitional
system / Übergangssystem) are part of this box:
• Young people without secondary general school leaving certificate
to acquire basic vocational skills and to improve their trainability
(Berufsvorbereitungsjahr, BVJ)
• Young people without apprenticeship contract to acquire first skills
within a professional field (Berufsgrundschuljahr, BGJ)
• Both programmes do not lead to labour-market relevant certificates
Simplified view with focus on VET
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Mainstream schools
Special schools
Dual VET
School-based VET
Special VET
Employment
Sheltered employment
Tertiary education
Vocational / technical schools for learners without
vocational certificates to acquire
• Partial vocational qualification
• Full vocational qualification
Vocational / technical schools for learners with
vocational certificates to acquire
• Educational certificates to access higher levels
Simplified view with focus on VET
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Mainstream schools
Special schools
Dual VET
School-based VET
Special VET
Employment
Sheltered employment
Tertiary education
VET institutions (BBW) for learners with disabilities to acquire
• Partial vocational qualification
• Full vocational qualification
First 2 years (BBB) in sheltered workshops for people with
disabilities (WfbM) to acquire
• Basic vocational skills
• Partial vocational qualification (Helfer / Werker)
Developments that influenced strategies in
VET
In 2000 – 2010: gaps between requests for VET places in
companies and limited availability of training companies
Initiatives focused on stimulating interest of companies to
join in as VET hosts
21,3% of the companies were training companies in the
dual system in 2012 (p. 99)
After 2010: challenge to maintain sufficient numbers of VET
participants in particular professions (e.g. healthcare) and
fighting the continuing shift towards HE
In 2013, for the first time, number of learners who opted
for HE higher than those in the dual VET system
For comparison: 65% in 2008 opted for dual VET (p. 97)
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Drop-out and transition into the training
company from dual VET
Since 2005 an individualised VET statistic is available
Since 2008 for the first time data is available to relate VET
success rates in the different professions to the number of
learners that started VET (up until then: success rate compared
to the learners who registered for examination) (p. 110)
Limitation: available only for dual VET
Disability / SEN is not part of the statistics
Drop-out rate in the dual system: 22%
Varies between professions, but also between highest school
certificate achieved > lower certificate levels show up to doubled
drop-out rates (p. 7)
Good transfer rates / chances after successful dual VET into
the training company (no data on successful transition into
other companies available) (p.8)
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Success rates of students starting dual VET
Occupational field
Contracts Examinations
Examination results
Passed
Not passed,
no re-try
possible
Not passed,
re-try
possible
Number in % of
contracts
Total 646.146 494.634 73,1 0,3 3,1
Industry and Trade 385.323 309.717 77,5 0,3 2,6
Crafts 180.864 122.103 62,8 0,3 4,4
Independent
professions 47.313 35.724 73,1 0,4 2,0
Agriculture 15.492 12.087 72,2 0,4 5,5
Public services 13.095 12.024 89,0 0,2 2,6
Home economics /
house keeping 4.056 2.976 71,5 0,0 1,8
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Success rate of students starting dual VET in 2008 within a maximum of 60 months afterwards in different
occupational fields (in %). (Annex Table E4-6web, own translation)
Transfer rates / chances into training
company in 2012 (in %)
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Transfer rates of students in 2012 into their training company (in %). (Annex Table E5-2A, own translation)
Despite the economic and financial
crisis, transfer rate grew by 13 %
compared to its lowest phase during
2003-2005
However: huge differences depending
on geographical region, sector and
company size (p. 113)
Challenges in entering VET
The most selective factors that influence the path
into VET are still: level of educational achievement
and nationality:
Young people without secondary general school
leaving certificate: 26.5% enter dual VET or
school-based VET
Young people with secondary general school
leaving certificate: 57.3% enter dual VET or
school-based VET (p. 99)
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Learners with SEN / disabilities in VET
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Learners with SEN / disabilities in VET
Depending on the cause of a disability, different
agencies decide on the provision of benefits /
support
Integration*: Learning disability (57%), cognitive
disability (16%), psychological disability (15%)
Re-integration*: musculoskeletal disabilities (42%),
psychological disabilities (31%), organ-based
disability (10%) (p. 164 – 165)
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* Data from 2010: Source: Dony, E., Gruber, S., Jasim, A., Rauch, A., Schmelzer, P., Schneider, A., Titze, N. Thomsen, U., Zapfel, S. & Zimmermann R.
(2012). Evaluation von Leistungen zur Teilhabe behinderter Menschen am Arbeitsleben. Zwischenbericht Basisstudie „Reha-Prozessdatenpanel“, IAB,
Nurnberg, S. 167
Diagnostics
Different diagnostic tools in different phases of the
educational system lead to incompatible and
incomparable results
Diagnostic results vary among Federal States,
regions and across different disability categories
Support measures / provision based on these
diagnostic results differ accordingly (p. 9)
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VET regulations for learners with disabilities
Depending on the type and severity of disability /
impairment, learners with disabilities may
receive disadvantage compensation during the
apprenticeship period and for the examinations (timing
and structure of VET, duration of examinations, technical
aids / assistive devices, personal assistance like sign
interpreters; §65 BBiG & §42l HwO)
participate in VET programmes specifically designed for
learners with disabilities, based upon / derived from
mainstream VET curricula (§66 BBiG & §42m HwO. (p.
160)
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Precedence to recognised occupations
requiring formal training
In the relevant German laws, precedence is given to
education and training in recognised occupations
requiring formal training
If the disability plus compensatory measures do not
suffice to successfully complete VET, specific
apprenticeship regulations can be issued by the
responsible, individual (!) chambers
VET with less theory and more emphasis on practical
skills
The Federal Institute for VET (BiBB) issued model
regulations, yet not for all professions (p. 171-172)
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Learners with SEN in mainstream VET provision
Learners with SEN (2011/2012)
in mainstream vocational schools (dual system):
43.000 learners, equals 2,8% of all learners
In a mainstream preparatory/pre-vocational class (BVJ)
14.000 learners, equals 29% of all learners
In mainstream technical schools (Berufsfachschulen):
4.300 learners, equals 1% of all learners
Consistently 2/3 male, 1/3 female（p. 183-184)
For 1/3 the specific educational need is not specified
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Learners with disabilities
in special VET provision
Institutionalised structure of special VET for learners
with disabilities, mainly provided by 52 institutions
for vocational rehabilitation (BBW)
Estim. 90% of adapted VET provided within
these institutions, only 10% in companies
Provision of regular and adapted VET (about 50:50)
VET mainly performed inside these institutions (p.
172-173)
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Special VET - Double discrimination
Limited choices, as not all professions are covered
by the institutional programmes
Demand for special / adapted VET about 10%
higher than available VET places
Example (2012):
Demand: 10,791
Supply: 9,966 (p. 172)
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Observations with regard to special VET
Special VET programmes for learners with
disabilities
In economically difficult times, assignments to special
VET rise (p. 183)
In the eastern Länder, assignments to special VET 3
times higher than in western Länder (p. 183)
57% of the learners with disabilities entering these
programmes hold a secondary general school leaving
certificate, 40% do not. The drop-out rate is significantly
high (p. 10)
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Canceled contracts
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Quota of canceled contracts in VET towards leading to recognised occupations requiring formal training
and in adapted VET (according to §66 BBiG / § 42m HwO) from 1996 – 2012 (in %). (Annex Table H3-9A)
VET towards recognised occupations requiring formal training
(all learners)
Adapted VET
(learners with disabilities) 35 %
30 %
25 %
20 %
15 %
10 %
5 %
Canceled contracts of learners with
disabilities in regular dual VET unknown
National VET statistics does not use the indicator
“disability” or “SEN”, so figures can only be
estimated by using statistics on compensatory
benefits for employers or integration benefits for
apprentices with disabilities
Hence, no data is available on success rates and
drop-outs in the regular dual VET for apprentices
with SEN / disabilities (p. 182)
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Inconsistent figures with regard to learners
with SEN / disabilities in the different systems
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Mainstream schools
Special schools
Dual VET
School-based VET
Special VET
Employment
Sheltered employment
Tertiary education
491,374 (2012/13, SEN)
136,235 (2012/13, SEN)
355,139 (2012/13, SEN)
est. 37,000 (2012, SEN)
2,556,309 (2011, Dis)
est. 268,500 (2011, Dis)
37,139 (2012/13, SEN)
17,539 (2010, Dis)
15,774 (2012/13, SEN)
9,9
15
(2012, D
is)
37,1
08
(2012, S
EN
)
?
?
8,8
13
(2
012, D
is)
16
,60
0
(2013, D
is; B
AG
) ?
?
?
Financing
In 2012, a total of 2.3 Billion Euro was spent for VET
and further education of people with disabilities
Almost the whole amount was used for VET and
preparatory VET measures
The predominant part went to segregating institutions
(BBW, WfbM, BFW etc.)
A minor part was used for VET within companies
No financial data is available on inclusive VET and
inclusive further education in companies, administrations
or other educational institutions (p. 197)
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Mismatch
Percentage of new VET contracts with learners with
SEN / disabilities compared to all contracts in this sector
(p. 183):
Industry and services: 1.3 %
Crafts: 1.9 %
Agriculture: 11 %
Housekeeping / house economy: 60 %
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Training staff in companies
In 2012 BiBB issued a framework curriculum (max.
320 h) for further qualification
Topics: VET practice, psychology, pedagogy / didactics,
rehabilitation, interdisciplinary project work, work
pedagogy, legislation, medicine)
Compulsory for trainers in companies
No formal assessment available
Not needed if support by a suitable institution is provided
No evaluation of the impact of this regulation
possible yet (p. 191)
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Challenges
Bridging the transitions from school to VET and from VET
to employment through co-ordinated actions and efficient
skills bundling of all stakeholders involved (p. 118)
Different areas of responsibility and support concepts
(person-based vs. systemic resource allocation) in the
social and in the educational system necessitate close
co-ordination (p. 10)
More options to acquire regular vocational certificates in
mainstream provision
Provision of adequate support and qualified educational
staff for learners with SEN in mainstream VET
Stronger involvement of companies in this endeavor (p.
200 - 201)
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Challenges
Diagnostics provide or prohibit access of learners with
SEN / disabilities to support provision
The differences of the legal and disciplinary concepts
behind diagnostics and their geographically varying
implementation lead to varying SEN / disability rates
within the educational phases
This complicates the identification of needs and the
reduction of disadvantages for learners with SEN /
disabilities in the educational system
Already today, the incomparability of diagnostic results
leads to the fact that learners with similar challenges go
through very different educational and life paths (p. 166)
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Challenges So many % of …, irrespective of their highest
educational achievement, are employed
Population aged 25 to 45
People with disabilities
aged 25 to 45
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Challenges So many % of …, who have no vocational
certificate, are employed
Population aged 25 to 45 People with disabilities
aged 25 to 45
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Challenges So many % of …, who have an apprenticeship
certificate, are employed
Population aged 25 to 45 People with disabilities
aged 25 to 45
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Challenges So many % of …, who have an HE entry certificate,
are employed
Population aged 25 to 45 People with disabilities
aged 25 to 45
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Contact
Harald Weber
Institut fuer Technologie und Arbeit (ITA)
an der Technischen Universität KL
Trippstadter Strasse 110
D-67663 Kaiserslautern / Germany
www.ita-kl.de
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Remarks
Information presented here is mainly based upon the 2014
National Report on Education; page numbers in parentheses
refer to this report, currently available only in German
http://www.bildungsbericht.de/
As a data-based, problem-centred analysis the report does not
include assessments and recommendations; hence,
assessments or recommendations mentioned in the
presentation represent only the opinion of the presenter
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