The system of early identification of skill needs in Germany

National systems of early identification of skill needs in continental Europe

Volker Scharlowsky

Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB)

"Systems, institutional frameworks and processes for early identification of skill needs"

International conference, 25th-26th November 2004, Dublin, Ireland

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Germany’s Dual VET System

primary school

uppersecondary

school

lower secondary schoolpre-vocational training year intermediate

secondary school

„Dual System“training in companies and

vocational schools

Schoolvocational training

(full-time)

JobUniversity for

applied sciences

Further educationand training

University

Completed (vocational) qualification

basic vocationaltraining year

specializedvocationalschool

basic vocationaltraining year

Trainingoccupations

2 year

3 year

3 1/2 year

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Partners and users of FreQueNz

Social Partners

Politics

Enterprises

Employees, other interested persons

Research, Science

Education organisations, Educational economy

Associations

Employment administration

FreQueNz compiles research findings and makes them available to different user groups.

Sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

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German early identification activities

• BMBF - Early identification initiative- FreQueNz (early identification network)- Arbeitsmarktradar (future-oriented labour market monitoring)

• BiBB (German Federal Institute for Vocational Training) • BLK (Bund-Länder Commission for Educational Planning and Research Promotion)• Länder activities - labour market monitoring

- studies on skill needs- ....

• Selective investigations of other actors

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Activities of trade unions

• Selected projects: - CIWES- Kompass- Agentur Q

• Collective agreements• Works and staff council activities

• Continual monitoring by expert departments of trade unions

• Working groups in relation with the renewal of initial and further training regulations

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LeA – Life and Work Qualification and Counselling in Dialogue

Identify new qualifications in knowledge-intensive fields Develop a concept on qualification and counselling: „Training Coach“

Transfer of results in the pilot project „Training Coach“

Development of strategies for the acquisition of competences and qualifications

Early identification of qualification needs in knowledge-intensive fields

Test of the concept on qualification and counsellingin the pilot project „Training Coach“:

- as an autonomous qualification profile- as an adult education profile- as an additional qualification for works and staff councils

Sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

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Benefits / weaknesses / needs for action

• Provision of current data / trends and developments are pointed out

• Problems and needs for action are identified

• Long-term forecasts: problem of reliability

• The decision of employers remain untouched / decisions are taken at other levels

• Missing transfer structure > introduction of occupational expert groups, bringing together all actors and experts of sector associations (promoters)

• Lack of coordination with other policies• innovation policy• labour market policy• economic policy