Everybody can benefit from international vocational education and training

There is no doubt that globalisation is increasing. Germany generates over 70 percent of its gross domestic product from external trade. As a result, the proportion of commercial relations involving trade abroad has almost doubled since the 1990s. In Germany, over 576 courses of study are currently being offered which deliver a dual international degree in addition to a German degree. “However, in view of the demographic development domestically, it is important that young people not only gain international experience through a degree” added Professor Esser.

The BIBB president continued to explain that the changed demands placed on a - future - skilled workforce due to advancing globalisation are not only consistent with our day-to-day experience. He added, for example, that the employment survey conducted by the BIBB and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) highlights significant increases in the demands for foreign language skills in vocational education and training. For the first time in 2012, more than 50 percent of workers in jobs which require a vocational qualification stated that they needed basic or specialist knowledge of a foreign language.

In his presentation, Professor Esser pointed out the increase in trainee foreign placements and foreign placements of pupils in full-time vocational schools. “This has happened because the political will for this exists” commented Professor Esser. He continued, noting that the facts themselves were impressive. Firstly, initial education and training foreign placements in the European education and training programmes implemented by the NA at the BIBB have doubled between 2008 and 2014. Secondly, today over 30,000 trainees and full-time vocational school pupils go abroad on an annual basis. This means that around 4.5 percent of people in initial vocational education and training are internationally mobile.

Thirdly, it should be noted that, when foreign placements were incorporated in the Vocational Training Act in 2005, over 6000 placements took place alone annually in the LEONARDO DA VINCI programme which was in existence at the time. Also, in terms of certifying competences obtained abroad, varied practice is also developing at the limits of and outside the formal system. And fourthly, 705 “international additional qualifications” involving a total of 34,372 participants were recorded in the “Education and training plus” database (Datenbank Ausbildung Plus) in 2014. These included many advanced education and training examination regulations at Chamber levels.

In this context Professor Esser recalled that, “The Council of the European Union would like six percent of individuals in initial vocational education and training to be internationally mobile by 2020. And the Bundestag has set the objective that over the same time period, ten percent of German trainees will spend time abroad.”

What are the consequences of all this for the vocational education and training system? Professor Esser underlined that, “the system is allowing practice a great deal of creative leeway”. “At the same time, it must transform to ensure future viability” he demanded, adding that while international aspects in education and training regulation had increased, there was still potential for growth. He highlighted that broadening job descriptions to include intercultural competences was directly linked to these issues. Besides knowledge and skills, this refers to crucial attitudes such as openness, tolerance and empathy, without which employees would not be able to operate successfully in a culturally heterogeneous environment. He pointed out here that it was the role of VET research to describe empirically how competences had to develop in view of internationalisation. Because the need to deliver international competences is a relatively new requirement for a national vocational education and training system, it was particularly important to ensure the concepts were clear.

Professor Esser continued: “Despite Europass and the ECVET standard, trainees and businesses are looking for certificates which clearly show that the additional competences have been acquired”. He added that in terms of advanced education and training regulations, only the commercial specialist in foreign trade existed and in terms of qualifications there was nothing nationally with an international focus. “It is therefore necessary to find a national standard which can be used then as a high quality addition or option in national qualifications, in order to clearly show international vocational competence and to account for this” explained Professor Esser. “This is in the interest of both trainees as well as companies providing training.”

He added that this type of standard within the regulatory instruments would further promote the international dimension in education and training as companies would no longer be forced to define their education and training activities themselves, as it has been the case up to now. Instead, they would be able to draw on quality assured regulation instruments. At this point, President Esser recalled that the “Innovation Circle for vocational education and training" made the following statement as early as 2007. “We regard the European opening up of national initial and advanced education and training regulations as an important tool for the future viability of qualifications at an international level”. He added that unfortunately this guiding principle had not been followed in practice.

And where do management stand in all this? Professor Esser explained that they were, in general, convinced of the need for action in terms of international activities. “However it is still the case that the scope within the framework conditions is too restricted. It is therefore the role of vocational education and training institutions to encourage, to maintain international partnerships and exchanges and to participate in international projects.” He added that, in view of the increasing number of jobs, it was also particularly important to continue to qualify company and school-based education and training personnel mainly in terms of foreign languages and intercultural skills.

In summary, Professor Esser noted that “The demands of internationalisation are providing opportunities to make vocational education in Germany more attractive for all those involved and to secure new skilled workers”. He added that this would be achieved in a number of ways. Firstly through international and intercultural competences which are increasingly necessary for skilled workers but which should be described with sufficient precision. Competences such as these could be acquired in occupationally relevant learning situations and would grow as a result of (increasing) foreign placements of trainees and full-time vocational school pupils. Secondly, the greatest possible visibility would be needed for national qualifications acquired within vocational education and training. Thirdly, there needs to be increased cross-border activities by education and training institutions; and fourthly, and finally, appropriately qualified education and training personnel would be required.