BIBB strengthens vocational education and training co-operation with South America
BIBB President Esser: "We give projects for closer international co-operation the benefit of our good experience with the dual system of vocational education and training."
The intensification of co-operation in the field of vocational education and training was one of the main goals of the South America journey made by BIBB President Professor Dr Friedrich Hubert Esser to Chile, Colombia and Brazil from 29 September to 5 October as a member of a government delegation headed by the Federal Minister of Education, Professor Dr Annette Schavan. In each country, the discussion centred on mutual experiences in organising and financing vocational education and training. As guest speaker at a vocational education and training conference in Chile, Esser stressed the readiness of the BIBB to give bilateral co-operation projects the benefit of Germany's good experiences with the dual system of education and training so that the challenges of skilled manpower shortages in Latin America could be met.
Press release of the BMBF dated 28 September 2012
On his journey to the three Latin American countries, BIBB President Esser welcomed the reform efforts already introduced by his co-operation partners in the education sector and encouraged them to promote on-the-job learning to a greater extent: "In our experience", he said, "combining learning in the actual work situation and school learning is the best way of fostering professional action competence."
The BIBB entered into a co-operation agreement with the Chilean Ministry of Education MINEDUC in November 2011, within the framework of which solutions are to be developed for the reform of the Chilean system of vocational training. In addition to a regular exchange of information the agreement also provides for the holding of joint workshops for experts in vocational education and training. German-Chilean co-operation in vocational education and training is focused on the professionalisation of in-company vocational training personnel as well as the development of occupational, training and examination standards for occupations that are relevant for the mining industry.
In Colombia and Brazil the field of vocational education and training was likewise a subject of the discussions. On 3 October 2012, on the occasion of the visit of BIBB President Esser, the Colombian Ministries of Education (MEN) and Labour (MinTrab) joined the co-operation agreement that the BIBB had already had since April 2011 with the Colombian National Apprenticeship Service SENA (Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje). In Colombia the BIBB advises its co-operation partner in building a national research centre for vocational education and training.
In Brazil a memorandum of understanding between the BMBF and the Brazilian Ministry of Education on co-operation in vocational education and training was signed on 5 October. In addition, a co-operation agreement between the BIBB and the National Service for Industrial Apprenticeship SENAI (Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial) has existed since 1998.
BIBB President Esser at the vocational education and training conference ENEDUC in Santiago de Chile
During his trip, on 2 October 2012, BIBB President Friedrich Hubert Esser introduced the German system of dual vocational education and training at the VIII. Vocational Education and Training Conference "ENEDUC Educación & Empresa" (education & enterprise) of the Chilean trade association SOFOFA in Santiago de Chile and advocated closer co-operation between business and government in vocational training in Chile. "Germany has a long tradition and experience in the field of vocational education and training. We want to share this with our partners in Latin America."
Approximately 400 education and business representatives attended the vocational education and training conference ENEDUC, which was opened by Federal Minister of Education Schavan together with her Chilean counterpart Harald Beyer, Chilean Labour Minister Evelyn Matthei and the president of the trade association SOFOFA, Andrés Concha.
From left to right: Andrés Concha, president of the Chilean Federation of Industry (SOFOFA); Professor Dr Annette Schavan, Federal Minister of Education and Research; Evelyn Matthei, Chilean Minister of Labour; Harald Beyer, Chilean Minister of Education.
In the coming eight years approximately 67 billion US dollars are to be invested in the mining industry in Chile by the state and the private sector. This means there will be a greatly increased demand for qualified specialists in this area, both for university graduates and scientists and at the vocational education level. The enterprises will be lacking thousands of specialists in the coming years.
BIBB President Esser explained in his speech that the shortage of specialists is a great challenge for Germany as well. "By 2020, there will be about one million urgently needed junior specialists less at our disposal." In the face of this trend, enterprises will have to compete more doggedly for suitable applicants in Germany as well.
"Enterprises think economically", the BIBB President stressed, adding during his speech that training is a "profitable investment" for German enterprises: "Trainees are potential future employees for the enterprises." Esser acknowledged the importance of the competent bodies in Germany, such as the Chambers of Industry and Commerce and the Crafts Chambers, for quality assurance as well. They supervise training in the enterprises, promote it by providing counselling for training personnel and trainees, and coordinate the work of the examination boards. Moreover, the BIBB President continued, "the members of the examination boards work on a volunteer basis", a situation unknown in Chile.
The president of the Federation of Industry SOFOFA, Andrés Concha, underscored the value that the development of human capital, productivity and quality in education and occupation have in Chile. This is shown for example, Concha said, by "the prominence of the speakers invited to address the conference". The average productivity of a skilled worker in Chile today is about a third of that of a German skilled worker. In order to improve this situation, Concha said, more intensive support is to be given to initial and continuing training measures. Chilean Education Minister Beyer explained that what young people beginning initial vocational training in Chile in particular wanted was greater contact with the real world of work. Therefore the goal of the Chilean government today, more than in the past, is to promote the vocational education and training system, and to be guided in doing so by the German model of dual education and training.
Owing to the high degree of attractiveness of the German system of vocational education and training, advisory services of the BIBB are in demand world-wide. At present the BIBB maintains approximately 30 co-operation agreements with institutions world-wide, in order to support reform processes in the respective national systems of vocational education and training. The partner countries of the BIBB in Latin America are Chile, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico.
You will find further information on the vocational education and training conference ENEDUC in Spanish under: http://web.sofofa.cl/Noticias/importancia-del-capital-humano-fue-abordado-en-eneduc2012/ and on the international advisory services of the BIBB under www.bibb.de/international
BIBB contact:
Diana Cáceres-Reebs
