[global hr forum 2011] dual vet and meister qualification system in germany

Dual VET and Meister qualification system in Germany

© Handwerkskammer Region Stuttgart, Heilbronner Straße 43, 70191 Stuttgart

Global HR Forum 2011

Claus Munkwitz, Chief Executive Director Chamber of Skilled Crafts of the Greater Stuttgart Region/Germany

Structure of vocational education and training

Vocational Educationand Training (VET)


1-3 November, 2011Global HR Forum 2

Initial Vocational Training (IVET)

Continuing VocationalTraining (CVET)

Two learning-environments:

company - school

New apprentice’s contracts by sectors

600000

800000

1000000

industry and commerce

skilled crafts



0

200000

400000

600000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

agriculture

public service

professions

home economics

sea transport

Source: Federal Statistical Office, German Confederation of Skilled Crafts

German dual VET system: Two venues for learning

In the company At part-time vocational school



Labour force in 2010

by school leaving certificate by graduation

37%27%

3%18%



33%general certificate of secondary education (Realsch ule)

high school diploma

certificate of secondary education (Hauptschule)

others

54%

16%

12%

vocational education and training

(advanced) technical college

university

others

Initial vocational education and training (IVET)

duration of apprenticeship: 2 – 3.5 years

over 50 percent of school graduates every year

nearly 60 percent are trained in companies with less than



nearly 60 percent are trained in companies with less than 100 employees

Action orientation: beneficial for employers and ap prentices

� imparting broad professional ability

� inducing employees into the company structure and engaging future employees

� on-the-job-experience: day-to-day



� on-the-job-experience: day-to-day challenges in companies and constantly changing demands under true working conditions

� highly motivating because of completing jobs on their own

� achieving independence and a sense of responsibility

Laws and regulations

350 state-recognised occupations

� regulated by federal law

� completion of formal VET required

specific training regulations



specific training regulations

� apply to each of these occupations

� set framework of what has to be learned

� ensure that all apprentices receive competenttraining covering comparable content

Negotiation process

Negotiations are institutionalized in the Federal Institute for Vocational

Federal Government

Federal States

Steering committee



for Vocational Training.

Employers Employees

Professionalized VET

TEACHER TRAINER

&



&

Teachers and trainers

vocational school teachers, teachers with practical skills

120,000 teachers

Federal state school law

Meister, trainers/journeymen

750,000 trainers

Vocational Training Act,

Figures

Legal basis

Who is who



Federal state school law

Higher education diploma or Meister/skilled employee plus one year course

Vocational Training Act, AEVO (ordinance on trainer aptitude)

Meister or qualification in an appropriate recognized occupation + proof of trainer aptitude

Legal basis

Qualification

Urgent need for highly skilled labour force in High Tech industries of the Greater Stuttgart Region

avg. 3,000max 2,000

skilled labour, medium level of qualification (e.g. journeyman)

average of the years 2011-2020economic boom



skilled labour, high level of qualification (e.g. Meister, technician)

graduates, mainly engineers, natural scientists, mathematicians

max 15,000

max 11,000

avg. 11,000

avg. 7,000

Number of Meister diploma 2010 in Germany

Meister diploma in the skilled crafts sectorClothing, textiles and leather crafts and trades 227Others 305Woodcrafts and plastic trades 1,294Food crafts and trades 1,328Building and interior finishes trades 3,957



Building and interior finishes trades 3,957Health and body care trades as well as the chemical and cleaning sector 5,152Electrical and metalworking trades 11,690total 23,953

The number of master of industry diploma awarded by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce is about half the number o f Meister diploma in the skilled crafts sector.

Source: Federal Statistical Office, German Confederation of Skilled Crafts

!

Historical Roots of the German Meister

establishment of an absolutely free marked system in the1860th resulted in:

� dumping of prices and dramatic decline of product quality



� disappearing of the traditional craft sector

� decline of commitment in qualification and drying up of the source for skilled work force

� the label “Made in Germany” was created as an international warning

Meisters and chambers

aim of German legislator: free market and compulsory certificates of qualification

institutionalization of a reliable partner within the skilled crafts sector:



� combination of practical knowledge and know-how with a focus on public interests

� uniting all companies in the skilled crafts sector

� setting up of a well organized training system forall skilled craft businesses: combination ofpractical work and learning in enterprise with theoretical education in a vocational school

Apprentice and trainer around the year 1900

Meister qualification in CVET

Meister is the most prestigious qualification possible in the German skilled crafts sector..

In 41 professions tthe Meister qualification is a precondition to



to

� start and run your own business

� train apprentices

Meister training-program

Preparation courses by chambers (evening courses or full-time-courses).

Examination held by independent

sections



Examination held by independent committees installed by chambers.

practical training

trade theory

economics and regulations

teaching/training skills

Cooperation between Meister schools and economy

Meister schools: establishments either of Chambers of Skilled Crafts or of the public sector

composition of examination committees:



� at least three employers holding a Meister diploma

� from companies of the skilled crafts sector

� volunteers

close collaboration between Meister schools and examination committees

Meister diploma and higher education

state-approved Bachelor of Skilled Crafts

admission to university



journeyman‘s certificate

Meister diploma

state-approved Bachelor of Skilled Crafts

Advantages of the German dual VET system

� low financial burden of the state

� training profiles in line with the requirements of the labour market



� learners benefit from sufficient practical and theoretical elements throughout the training

� nationwide recognized quality standards (training regulations and examinations)

� relatively low rate of youth unemployment compared to other countries

Lessons learned

factors of success of the German VET system:

� close cooperation between the public and the private sector

� institutionalized negotiation process



� demand-driven approach

� in-company practical experience at the very core

� nationwide recognized quality standards

Remaining challenges

� academic studies are much more admired than vocational education and training

� pending alignment of academic and



� pending alignment of academic and non-academic degrees

� Meister diploma similar to a bachelor degree

� apprenticeship similar to a high-school diploma

Thank you for your kind attention!



[global hr forum 2011] dual vet and meister qualification system in germany

Education

heilbronner strae

greater stuttgart regionavg

year courseglobal hr

skilled crafts sectorclothing

skilled labour force

food crafts

leather crafts

company school