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33/
Bonn, 31.07.2008
Taking stock - Prompting innovation - Pointing out new perspectives: BIBB presents its 2007/2008 Annual Report
The progressive development of vocational education and training in Germany and the strengthening of its 'beacon function' in comparison to other countries: These are the central aims of the work of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB). BIBB meets these aims by conducting a wealth of research projects, developing and implementing innovative training concepts, overhauling and updating recognised occupations that require completion of formal initial vocational training or formal further vocational training and, not least of all, by providing a wide range of national and international advisory services. But what were the special areas of focus in 2007? What priorities were set, what insights were gained, what conclusions were drawn regarding how modern vocational training could be shaped in the future? The just-released 2007/2008 Annual Report offers answers. This publication informs readers about the priority fields for BIBB's research and work and points out the outlooks and challenges for the coming years.
Using selected examples, the new annual report with its wealth of up-to-date data and diagrams provides insights into the variety of research, development and advisory activities pursued by the Federal Institute. It organises this information into five thematic sections:
- Vocational training market and the employment system
- Modernisation of and quality development in vocational education and training
- Lifelong learning, permeability and equivalence
- Vocational education and training for specific target groups
- Internationalisation of vocational education and training
Analyses of the current situation on the training place market are presented in the section Vocational Training Market and the Employment System. BIBB research findings confirm that school-leavers with poorer marks, lower and intermediate secondary school leavers, and youths with an immigrant background continue to have a very hard time finding a training place despite the current economic upswing. The JOBSTARTER structural programme which BIBB conducted on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research reports a positive 'balance sheet': JOBSTARTER has funded more than 200 projects to date and has thus encouraged participating enterprises to create more than 19,000 new training places. As a result, a growing number of youths will have the opportunity to undergo 'dual' vocational training (which combines part-time vocational schooling with practical work experience).
The section Modernisation of and Quality Development in Vocational Education and Training presents BIBB's efforts to progressively develop the dual vocational training in Germany in ways that will ensure it continues to be flexible and productive in the future as well. This work led to 20 new or up-dated recognised occupations in 2007 and 2008. Current BIBB projects additionally focus on training modules for unplaced training place applicants from previous years and on the future of the Ordinance on Trainer Aptitude.
The Lifelong Learning section outlines national and international efforts to make qualifications and skills (more) transparent. Measures and analyses involving permeability and equivalence are the focus of attention here. These activities include the development of a European and a German qualifications framework - to which BIBB is making a decisive contribution - and the results from the ANKOM initiative for crediting skills and competences acquired in the workplace toward university studies, which BIBB was also involved in.
The section on Vocational Education and Training for Specific Target Groups contains analyses and campaigns that BIBB conducts for youths with learning difficulties, an immigrant background, social disadvantages or a handicap. BIBB'S work in this area is based on a new recommendation from the BIBB Board. In its "Proposed activities for training disadvantaged young people for a recognised occupation", the highest BIBB body calls for the comprehensive 'dualisation' of vocational assistance for disadvantaged individuals. According to the BIBB Board, the general principle underlying vocational training must be the in-company - as opposed to extra-company - focus and experience, and this focus and experience must start during the vocational guidance phase and continue all the way to the individual's integration into the working world. Receiving vocational training in a company - in other words, having a company as one's learning venue - is particularly important for this target group.
BIBB's research, development and advisory activities in European and global networks take centre stage in the section Internationalisation of Vocational Education and Training. The focal themes of this section are questions regarding the importance and organisation of the dual vocational training system in Germany, the transparency of training paths and certificates, and the crediting of vocational qualifications and skills. This section also presents the activities of the National Agency 'Education for Europe' at BIBB which successfully conducts European education programmes and the iMOVE (International Marketing of Vocational Education) initiative which BIBB also conducts on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. iMOVE has played a decisive role in the ever-greater internationalisation of German initial and continuing vocational training services for more than five years now.
The 2007/2008 Annual report can be downloaded in German from the BIBB homepage at
www.bibb.de/jahresbericht
The 88-page print edition can also be ordered free of charge from:
Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training
Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)
Arbeitsbereich 1.2 - Kommunikation
- Veröffentlichungen -
53142 Bonn
Fax: + 49 (0) 228 107 2967
E-Mail: vertrieb@bibb.de
Order code: 09.145
ISBN: 978-3-88555-834-7
