OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training: A Learning for Jobs Review of Germany 2010

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs. Germany has a very well developed and widely respected VET system with a strong dual component integrating learning in schools and workplace training. VET policy, design and delivery are strongly supported by social partner engagement and institutionalised VET research capacity. At the same time the German system confronts several challenges: the transition system is costly and suffers from undue fragmentation; more attention could be placed on adequate career guidance and basic skills provision; assessment is dominated by the Chamber exam; and only very few VET graduates take up university studies despite reforms to open access considerably. The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.