Initial and continuing vocational education and training plays a key role in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The idea is to help people better reflect upon the ecological, economic and social impacts of their actions. But how can this objective be met , and how can it be enshrined structurally within the education system? This BWP issue aims to shed light on the three dimensions of sustainability – social, economic and ecological – and to illustrate the relevant backgrounds and contexts. It also reveals a number of starting points for introducing sustainability into curricula and making it an active and integral part of education and training practice.
New training standards drawn up by a Working Group of the BIBB Board will apply to all training occupations entering into force as of 1 August 2021. These standards will be firmly established in training ordinances in the form of “standard occupational profile positions”. One of these encompasses the topic of environmental protection and sustainability. In this interview, the joint chairs of the Working Group explain the ideas and objectives behind the new “environmental protection and sustainability” standard and talk about how it is finding its way into training practice.
Gerhard de Haan; Jorrit Holst; Mandy Singer-Brodowski
Sustainability 21st century’s main challenge, and the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations are a significant indicator of the scope of and necessity for global transformation. Such a shift requires extensive learning processes in the economy, politics and society as well as on the part of individuals. The aim of education and training for sustainable development (ESD) is to help people work together to shape a sustainable future. This article uses the results of national ESD monitoring as a basis for providing an introduction to the genesis, status of development and possible future pathways of vocational education and training for sustainable development (VESD). If the education sector is to be transformed in a way which meets the aims of UNESCO’s new ESD for 2030 Programme, it is clear that critical and systemic consideration of the future role of VET will be necessary.
Vocational education and training for sustainable development (VESD) should be measurable. Suitable indicators able to record status of implementation on an ongoing basis are required for this purpose. Which core areas are essential for fostering VESD, and which indicators can be used to measure the status of its implementation? This article presents a model and a preliminary set of indicators, developed as part of the project “Indicators for vocational education and training for sustainable development” (VESD).
There is increasing recognition that sustainability requires a firm structural basis in vocational education and training rather than being restricted to individual projects. Nevertheless, one issue which largely remains unclear is how sustainability can be specifically integrated into company-based training. The “vocational education and training for sustainable development” (VETSD) pilot projects undertaken by BIBB are delivering ideas in this regard. This article looks back at the pilot projects of the past 20 years and identifies five dimensions which offer starting points for the structural integration of sustainable development into vocational education and training.
Julia Kastrup; Werner Kuhlmeier; Christina Strotmann
In order to anchor sustainable development as a fixed core principle of VET, it is necessary to identify and describe relevant competencies to be imparted during VET. This article presents a model for the description of sustainability-related competencies in the food production sector. The model was created within the scope of evaluation research carried out on Funding Line III pilot projects for the “Development of domain-specific sustainability competencies in craft trade and other occupations in the food industry”, part of BIBB’s main funding focus “Vocational education and training for sustainable development” (VESD).
The structural enshrinement of sustainability in vocational training practice is an essential goal of the National Action Plan. Adjustments are taking place at a curricular level via the new standard occupational profile positions, whilst the targeted establishment of provision in training practice, backed up by pedagogical support for initial and continuing training staff, also plays a key role. The “Transfer of sustainability to initial and continuing vocational training practice” project (TraNaxis) is piloting this transfer pathway by trialling an approach which involves dual training for multipliers.
An advanced training approach aimed at sustainable business practices and training was developed in the GEKONAWI pilot project. Firm establishment of this approach is being pursued via the follow-up project GEKONAWItransfer. This article begins by presenting the advanced training approach before depicting the challenges associated with its continuation and setting out the objectives and fields of work of the subsequent project.
EPIZ – Centre for Global Learning in Berlin is supporting the concept of globally oriented civic education in order to teach young people in training about the relationships between global and local action. This article describes the necessity of global learning in VET, illustrates the methodological approach adopted and presents sample educational materials.
The public perception is that the debate surrounding sustainability largely focuses on reaching the climate goals. By way of contrast, issues relating to working conditions, overcoming social divisions and creating equal points of access to good education and training for everyone frequently take a back seat. This article presents Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 8 from a trade union perspective.
This article presents the initial findings from the “Fridays for Future (FFF) and the question of good life” study. It addressed the research question “How do FFF activists see themselves and the world” by conducting biographical guided interviews with young activists. Subjects included their motivation to be part of the movement, what they are personally doing to combat climate change, and how they obtain information. This article examines these questions and reflects on the opportunities and challenges for VET.
Environmental protection is traditionally established as a dimension of sustainability in craft trade occupations, thus forming an integral part of inter-company training in the sector. But to what extent is this imparted, and what learning success is achieved? This article presents the results of a 2019 evaluation of the firm establishment of environmental protection and sustainability in inter-company apprentice courses in North-Rhine Westphalia. It is clear that environmental protection and resource conservation are relevant components of practical instruction. Sustainable craft trade skills are, however, not the only focus. There is also emphasis on how to foster an understanding of sustainable actions at work and how to raise awareness for the necessity of such actions. Training staff are vital in successfully imparting knowledge.
Sustainable action and sustainable business practices are widespread in the craft trades sector. Preparation of a sustainability report is an effective means of demonstrating this commitment in a legally compliant and publicly effective way to clients, customers and suppliers, and also allows any potential reporting or documentation requirements to be met in a timely manner. This article explains the imperatives and opportunities inherent within such a report and presents tools which to make the process easier.
Young people become particularly reliant upon orientation and assistance if they fail to make a smooth transition to the world of work after leaving the education system. This task is also taken on by professionals in the areas of work placement and vocational guidance. The article presents three types of expert, each of whom uses different orientation and action logics to try and direct young people into the world of work. All of these instances are, however, associated with specific pitfalls and orientation uncertainties which may impede dynamic integration into the labour market.
The coronavirus pandemic has turned our entire existence upside down. Those who have embarked upon a new stage of life over the past eighteen months have been especially affected, including the young people who began a training programme or dual course of higher education study at DATEV in 2020. This article provides a clear presentation of and reflection upon how the onboarding process was successfully completed despite the constraints. It also outlines compromises that were necessary and new solutions found which may also be viable in future.
The 21st University Conference on Vocational Education and Training had actually been scheduled to take place in Bamberg in the 21st year of the 21st century. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic put paid to this harmonious arrangement. After initially delaying the event for a year until March 2022, the organisers decided to postpone the conference until 2023. In order to reduce the delay somewhat, a “virtual edition” of the conference will be held on 15 September 2021. We join the hosts in Bamberg for a glimpse behind the scenes as the final preparations are undertaken and take a look at the programme.
BIBB has been carrying out a research project to investigate whether the prerequisites are in place for the creation of a new dual training occupation in the area of medical devices processing. Aspects being subjected to closer scrutiny include company structures, main task focuses and skills requirements for employees. This article describes the initial results and explains why a new dual training occupation is being recommended.
Roofers do much more than roofing. They carry out other works on all areas of the roof and exterior walls of a building, and also install energy measures and solar thermal and photovoltaic systems. This description of the occupation explains the extent to which climate protection forms part of the training occupation. It also shows which trends are emerging and how trainee numbers are developing.
The main focus of the second Board Meeting to be held in 2021, which also marked the beginning of a new term of office, was on presentations relating to the status of international VET cooperation and the expansion of the BIBB platform foraus.de. Results from the Federal Employment Agency/BIBB Applicant Surveys also served as a basis for looking at the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on VET and at the situation of refugees. The meeting took place via video conference and was chaired by Elke Hannack, employee representative.