Dual Vocational Training

How does dual vocational training work in Germany?

After completion of the 4- to 6-year elementary school, there are the following secondary schools called Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasium, und Gesamtschule. Following this, graduates of all types of schools have the possibility of initial vocational training. Legally, there are no entry requirements for initial vocational training. The most common form of initial vocational education is dual education. The theoretical part of the training is taught in the vocational school, the practical part in a company.

Trainees work three to four days a week in the company and visit the vocational school in one or two days (distribution of days varies depending on the occupation and the year of training). Vocational school lessons can also be offered as block lessons. This means that trainees attend vocational school for up to eight weeks at a time.

In some areas, the practical part is complemented by a visit to an inter-company training center (up to four weeks a year). These training centers may cover certain practical areas of training that many companies can not cover, for example due to their size or specialization.

On-the-job training is regulated by the federal government and both the unions of employers and employees on the basis of nationwide training regulations. The training at the vocational school is subject to the supervision of the individual federal states. At the federal level, the Conference of Ministers of Education decides on a framework curriculum that can be adopted by the states without change or converted into their own curricula.

In the middle of the apprenticeship an intermediate examination has to be taken. At the end of the training, the final exam takes place. These are organized and carried out by the competent authorities (for example, the Chambers of Crafts or Chambers of Commerce and Industry).