The German VET System : exportable blueprint or food for thought?

Abstract

"In recent years, the dual-system approach has gained considerable international attention for its success in addressing youth unemployment. Many countries have shown great interest in adopting the German dual VET system. But how might such a transfer be carried out? Exporting a VET system from one country to another is not merely a matter of copying the original system, but is rather a process of selection and adaptation by the importing country. The article offers an approach where the dual system is broken down into 11 distinct elements, each of which can be described and examined with regard to its transferability. Furthermore, reforming education systems is a complex undertaking. This is true in particular for a VET system, which - positioned as it is between a society’s education system and labor market - must interact with a diverse set of actors and institutions. A national VET system seems best viewed as food for thought for innovation rather than as a blueprint for reforms or a finished export product. Additionally, because a VET system is embedded within specific economic, cultural and social systems, exporting it - or its individual components - is possible only if conditions in the importing countries are comparable." (Authors' abstract, BIBB-Doku)