International VET advisory services
Many countries face similar challenges today: Increasing economic globalization, growing international competition, changes in demographic developments and on the labour market demand new education policy strategies if the individual country is to meet its need for skilled labour.
In many countries, vocational education and training (VET) continues to be organized at school level and does not prepare graduates adequately for the demands of the working world. Trade and industry lament that vocational education and training places too much emphasis on theory and call for gearing VET objectives and content more strongly to the needs of the labour market and actual companies.
As a result, vocational education and training need to be progressively developed and modernized. This requires creating an attractive range of training programmes and options for continuing education and training in order to increase graduates' employability and occupational mobility. It also necessitates organizing VET to be more practice-oriented and geared to the employment system's needs plus prepare trainees for qualifications that meet high standards and open up prospects for employment that will remain viable despite changes that the future will bring.
Many countries have recognized this necessity and are seeking information on other countries' experience in this area and assistance with modernizing their VET systems. At international level, Germany is in demand as a partner for collaborative activities and guidance in the vocational education and training field. Some 500 collaborative VET projects currently being conducted around the world provide concrete proof that other countries have a strong interest in the German model of "dual"-cooperative vocational education and training (which combines part-time vocational schooling with practical work experience).
