Developing an Understanding of the German Vocational Education and Training System

Ready to disembark after a short ferry ride.

July 11, 2014 - Bremen, Germany. By Ansberto Vallejo.

I thought that the highlight of our Study Abroad experience was going to be the various school visits, learning from the apprenticeship-company owners, meeting with the director of the Bremen Chamber of Commerce, and/or sharing Germany’s win to the Final match of the 2014 World Cup. However, my “aha” moment was today, July 10, 2014 at the factory of J Mueller when I was able to connect the dots between Germany’s Dual Vocational Education Training System and how parts of this learning can be applied in Tampa, Florida with its public schools. Our journey started with a ferry boat ride across the river.

J Muller Company.

What is the J Mueller company? Historically Bremen has been a major international port of the world establishing exchanges with goods such as spices, metals and other various products. Now, the J Mueller company, located in Brake, Germany is an active port for shipping to several countries such as Brazil, Spain, Romania, and Egypt to name a few and provides several services which require a workforce that specializes in:

1. Port logistics
2. Construction mechanic
3. Industrial mechanic
4. Electronics technician
5. Automotive mechatronics engineer
6. Freight and logistics services
7. Shipping merchant
8. Specialist for system integration system development

At the company we were greeted by J Mueller’s Human Resources Manager, Mr. Bernd Kempendorf. And of course J Mueller like all of the institutions and companies that we have visited, were very hospitable and had a spread of refreshments, coffee, tea and chocolate cookies, which always put a smile on our faces.

Mr. Kempendorf shared that he had also been a young apprentice at J Mueller and is now responsible for over 400 employees and 61 apprentices, which validated the impact his experience and now professional career. Not only has J Mueller expanded the number of apprentices but has added sought gender diversity in their their workforce which has been historically dominated by males. Mr. Kempedorf was proud to present this data and attributed this success to the partnerships with the Vocational Education Training schools, establishing a strong partnership with the Bremen’s Chamber of Commerce and doing outreach such as “Future Day” which provides candidates with an orientation to the various jobs/apprentice opportunities at the J Mueller factory.

Getting an explanation of how the apprenticeship works at
the company.

After Mr. Kempdendorf, provided an overview of the J. Mueller’s apprenticeship process, we headed off to visit with the employees and understand their job roles. It was at this point that I was convinced that “this” is what’s best for students and if “this” is good for Germany’s youth, there must be way that we can integrate the apprenticeship into our education system and workforce. One of the apprentices was able to concrete my assumption after I asked him the question: what are the perceptions of your friends and family regarding your apprenticeship with this company? He quickly and proudly responded that his family feels that he has made a great choice and they feel that it is a prestigious job to work and learn at J Mueller. He is in his 3rd year of his apprenticeship and the term usually ends in 3.5 years. At the end of his apprenticeship this student has the option of being hired full time at J Mueller or now that he has acquired this experience can negotiate his salary with other companies.

Although we ended our experience at J Mueller with a relaxing three-hour trip by boat to Bremen, my mind was working and trying to grasp how we could implement such system back in the U.S. I must admit that we have the resources back home; it’s a matter of starting these conversations with gradual steps and getting key individuals involved. Stay tuned….

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Ansberto Vallejo is Supervisor for Career and Postsecondary Planning in the Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, FL.

He is also a doctoral student in career and workforce education at the University of South Florida.

Appreciating German Efficiency

July 11, 2014 - Bremen, Germany. By Zachary Riffell.

Sometimes Germans are too good at their jobs.

I arrived in Germany with a single short-sleeved shirt. I do not know how I made this mistake, but I have paid for it. It is very warm, and at times I wish I had an additional short-sleeved shirt to wear. I finally broke down and went to Karstadt, a company that was established in 1881.

A young man, who spoke excellent English, quickly came to help me. It was close to closing time, but he did not show any exasperation at my needing a shirt. (Don’t worry, I left before the actual closing time.) I told him I did not know what size I needed, so he quickly pulled out a cloth tape measure and took a measurement.

He wrapped the tape around my neck and immediately told me I needed a 44. It was here that I was reminded of how many times I have bought a dress shirt back in the US and used my neck size and sleeve length to buy the shirt. The other measurements simply worked. This is something the Germans established as they began to mass produce clothing.  This is no small issue, and one I am thankful for.

We began looking for a shirt. I wanted the cheapest shirt possible. He did not care that I was looking for a cheap shirt. I saw a pattern I liked and he immediately told me that it would not work. “That is a modern fit. You need relaxed,” he told me. “I like this one. Maybe I should try it on just to see.” I was sure I could fit in the shirt.

“No,” he said. Unapologetically, the young man told me it would not work. He knew his job and he knew that the shirt would not fit. It hurt my feelings some, but it saved me a pointless trip to the dressing room.

Next I found a T-shirt I liked. “In that you need a 54,” he told me. He explained that T-shirts use a different size. “But you should probably go for a 56.” Again, he hurt my feelings, but he knew his job. If you are curious, I wear an XL in the states. Here I wear an XXL (and even that is tight). I may not feel good about that, but I cannot complain about the job this kid did in helping me.

This young man is currently an apprentice who works one day, goes to school the next day day, works  the following another day, goes to school and work the next day, and then works or has the fifth day off. He hopes to work at the store when he finishes his apprenticeship. I suspect he will be offered a contract.

I am getting tired of how well people do their jobs here. This young man was quickly able to explain to me how oversized my belly is for German shirts. The brew meisters are too skilled at turning out quality beer. The butchers are too good at assembling bratwursts. And most of all, the gelato makers are just too good (just ask Dr. Hernandez, he has had 35 scoops since we got here).  If they are going to prepare food this good, perhaps they need to add some shirt sizes for people like me.

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Zachary Riffell is Project Manager of Advanced Career at the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta, GA.

He is also a doctoral student in career and workforce education at the University of South Florida.

The Flexibility of the German Dual System of Vocational Education and Training

At a Technical Education School in Bremen.

July 10, 2014 - Bremen, Germany. By Zachary Riffell.

The German dual-track system is full of mystery for Americans. We take our time when Googling information, but apparently not all information on the internet is reliable. Some in America view the system as oppressive, a rigid system that provides little to no flexibility to meet the needs of the individual. The perception is that the system is built solely on the needs of the state and the people are mere cogs in the machine. Part of this belief is true, but the question is to determine if it is possible to meet the needs of society without sacrificing the individual.

Throughout the week, my understanding of the German system has vacillated significantly. The system seems incredibly structured and carries students into their early twenties, yet there is permeability in the system (one that confuses Americans with their linear view of education) that allows for significant choice. The visits at the schools and conversations with students had convinced me that little was etched in stone, that students were free to jump from school to school within the system.

At the Bremen Chamber of Commerce.

For example, our trip to the Bremen Chamber of Commerce on July 9 had some shocking implications. In the middle of the conversation, Karlheinz Heidemeyer explicitly said that the system is built on “training based on the practical requirements of the companies.” While this was likely an implicit understanding all along, the outright statement was somewhat shocking. Does this mean that the needs or desires of the individual workers simply do not matter?

The answer to the question above is a resounding NO. We have met many people with varied backgrounds in our studies here. One professor went through the apprenticeship program. One teacher began as a lawyer. One HR manager started as a mechanic. The flexibility is there (but please don’t ask me to explain it in its entirety).

The important issue is that students find training. They learn how to do something. This is not insignificant. This initial level of success introduces them to work and convinces them of their ability to operate within society. Many likely continue along the line of their initial training. Others discover a new avenue for further exploration. Somehow it works.

Of course, it may seem obvious that there is flexibility within the system. In the German vocational system, there are 331 vocations. Surely this is not enough to catalog the extent of work that must be done in such an advanced society. Some flexibility must be inherent.

A training supervisor and an apprentice sharing how the
apprenticeship system works at the J Muller company.

J Müller, a logistics company in Brake and Bremen, addresses this for their own needs. The company currently trains 61 apprentices. This training is governed by the federal state which outlines the standards for training. At J Müller, apprentices receive this mandated instruction, but they also receive additional training. “We want employees with some flexibility,” Bernd Kempendorf told us. (This is a powerful message for people who complain about standards in the United States. Standards for instruction can and should be viewed as minimums, not maximums for instruction.) In fact, the company now offers an incentive program for those hired on after their apprenticeships that allows them to pursue university training.

There is still much for me to learn about the German system, but the concept that the needs of the businesses must come first is not something I feel I need help in understanding. The people of Germany are taught how to function. They are given opportunities to succeed. They are not locked into a career they pick as a teenager, as so many fear. The system works because society’s needs are met, because businesses’ needs are met. Individuals can meet their needs because of the success of the businesses and the vocational education and training system.

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Zachary Riffell is Project Manager of Advanced Career at the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta, GA.

He is also a doctoral student in career and workforce education at the University of South Florida.