Vocational Education & Training (VET)
Vocational education and training is fast emerging as an important area of focus as Germany and India enhance their strategic bilateral partnership. One of India’s biggest challenges as well as advantages is its growing young population. The average Indian will be only 29 years old in 2020. India targets creation of 500 million skilled workers in 2022, and Germany is one of its strong partners for this.
Germany’s dual system of vocational education and training (VET) is a very simple and cost-effective model.
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Training centre of Bosch in India
(© Bosch )
The practical training (approx. 70 percent of training duration) takes place in companies, in the real processes of business and production. This training is based on a compulsory curriculum, which is adapted to the conditions of the training company and is monitored and controlled by the respective Chambers, who also arrange for the interim and final examinations (comparable to Sectoral Skill Councils). This in-house training is guided and imparted by certified corporate trainers. The ‘apprentices’ undergoing training sign a vocational training contract with the company (legally equivalent to a labour contract under labour laws) and are paid a training salary by them.
The theoretical part of the training (approx. 20 percent of training duration) is taught in vocational schools, run by the state governments.
The system proves advantageious for all stakeholders.
- The government does not need to equip the vocational schools with expensive machinery necessary for practical training suited to industrial needs. It has to only guarantee a fitting theoretical training in vocational schools with well-trained teachers. This saves the cost of investing into equipment and machinery just for training purposes.
- Companies train students in real working processes, within the actual production cycle. The competitive business scenario makes it essential that companies be well equipped with state-of-the-art machinery. They also need to redevelop procedures of production at all times. Therefore the companies already have the equipment, which would be too expensive for vocational schools only for training purposes. Companies also have to train and employ certified corporate trainers within the company. All costs incurred by companies engaged in VET are considered an investment. While the students are trained, they also become more productive and contribute to the creation of wealth; and the company can look to getting an early return on investment. Additionally, after the examinations, companies who take in their apprentices have well-trained and educated workers who know the company and are skilled according to its needs.
- The companies engaged in VET are also constantly involved – through the vocational training departments of the Chambers – in the process of upgrading and modernisation of curricula.
- Young people get training that fits the needs of the industry. At the same time, vocational studies foster the pride of being involved in crafts amongst the students (approximately 67 percent of young people in Germany enjoy vocational education & training).
- The unions also play their part in the field of vocational training. They take part in developing and redeveloping professions and curricula, they negotiate the training salaries as part of collective contracts for an industry, and the elected works councils also keep an eye on the practical training within the company.
Indo-German cooperation in vocational education & training (VET) has a long history. Till 2007, it was part of development cooperation. Now it is led by a bilateral working group, which was set up in 2008. Led by the Indian Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Indian side includes members from the two major industry associations – Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The German side is led by the Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Members include representatives of the chambers of crafts and industries, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), iMOVE, the ministry's promoter of 'Training – Made in Germany', and trade unions. The bilateral working group on VET meets on an annual basis alternatively in India and Germany.
During the visit of Chancellor Angela Merkel to India in May 2011, three agreements for further cooperation in the VET sector were signed. They included inter-ministerial MoUs, agreements between iMOVE and the National Skill Development Council (NSDC), between iMOVE and FICCI and between BIBB and FICCI. Some B2B cooperation in the sector has also started.
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