Print version Recommend this page Press release
03/ 2009
Bonn, 21.01.2009
Going against the trend: continuing training branch expects positive economic development
The Continuing Education and Training Monitor (wb monitor) Climate Index for the year 2008 flew in the face of the current economic and financial crisis by indicating a markedly positive economic attitude within the continuing training sector in Germany in the form of a points score of 42 on a scale of -100 to +100. Although it should be stated that this data was collected in May 2008 at a time when the economy was still moving forwards, the ifo (Institute for Economic Research) Business Climate Index for the service sector fell from 27 points to 19 points between May 2007 and May 2008 whereas the wb monitor rose from 30 to 42 points during the same period, reaching a new record level in the process. This shows that continuing training providers in Germany evaluate their current and future economic situation significantly more positively than is the case in the rest of the service sector. These results emerge from the 2008 wbmonitor Survey of more than 1,800 providers of continuing vocational and general training and are used by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and the German Institute for Adult Education (DIE) as the basis for calculating the wbmonitor Climate Index (see Figure 1).
Figure1:
Large majority of continuing training providers actively pursuing human resources development
Human resources development formed a further main focus of the wbmonitor Survey, which showed that a majority of providers support continuing training for their teaching staff, an area in which major providers in particular are taking a lead. This primarily takes place via the provision of specialist publications, from which all categories of teaching staff benefit at the majority of institutions. Although permanently employed staff constitute a minority within the branch, such employees also receive support in the form of the granting of absence of leave and/or expenses to enable them to attend specialist conferences, presentations or educational trade fairs. Considerable importance is also attached to the conducting of internal continuing training and to the crediting of participation in seminars towards working time (see Figure 2).
Schaubild 2:
One in two providers believes that there is a requirement for continuing training in respect of the topic of "successful teaching", the core task of any pedagogical activity. This is likely to reflect new methodological and didactic requirements occasioned by such factors as the deployment of new (self-directed) learning media. Advanced training courses aimed at achieving a better market position for the institution itself are also at the top of the agenda for continuing training providers.
This is the first time that the wbmonitor Survey conducted by BIBB and the DIE has supplied empirical data relating to the competence requirements of senior continuing training staff. Personal competences such as the ability to work in a team, creativity and assertiveness are considered to be particularly important for such staff. By way of contrast, continuing providers ascribe varying degrees of significance to occupational experiences and qualifications within certain fields of study when recruiting senior staff. The qualification most frequently mentioned in this regard is a university degree in education.
For further German language information on the BIBB and DIE wbmonitor Survey 2008 please visit www.wbmonitor.de or www.bibb.de/de/50555.htm .
Points of contact at BIBB for further information:
- Dr. Gisela Feller, Tel.: 0228 / 107-1124; E-Mail: feller@bibb.de
- Hans Joachim Schade, Tel.: 0228 / 107-1117; E-Mail: schade@bibb.de
