The journal reports on research findings and practical experience with issues from vocational education and training, thus fostering an exchange between education research, day-to-day education practice and education policy.
Current issue
Education for democratic citizenship (BWP 4/2024)
The strengthening of populist and extremist movements is posing a threat to open society. Decisive action needs to be taken to combat a lack of respect for diversity and attacks on differently minded people and on democratic institutions. What contribution can vocational education and training make in this regard?
VET is characterised by a high degree of heterogeneity of learners. Both at the transition from school to the world of work and within the work process, there are numerous opportunities to impart learning on the principles of democracy and on the associated values of societal co-existence. This is an area where VET has a particular task, especially in respect of the socialisation of young people. But how can it live up to this? Which impetuses can VET learning venues give in terms of providing experiential spaces in which democracy can be embraced?
The main focus of this issue of BWP is on the concept of education for democratic citizenship, on the related learning objectives and contents for VET, and on the question of how this concept can be implemented didactically.
Waning trust in democratic institutions, increasing disenchantment with politics and a strengthening of extremist and populist leanings are topics which VET needs to tackle more than ever before. In November 2023, the Düsseldorf Chamber of Crafts and Trades conferred the Georg Schulhoff Prize on BIBB President Friedrich Hubert Esser. This award recognises outstanding services and contributions to VET made by persons and institutions. In his acceptance speech, Professor Esser highlighted how education for democratic citizenship is an important aspect of holistic VET. The significance of this for our liberal society and for future generations is a topic which he continues to pursue.
VET is ascribed a key role in educating young adults for democratic citizenship. This article concentrates on the areas of potential and challenges of education for democratic citizenship at the learning venues of the vocational school and the company providing training. The findings are discussed against the background of overall societal developments.
Voluntary commitment on the part of citizens is the lifeblood of democratic societies. This requires autonomy of action, thought and judgement. The traditional term used in this regard is “majority”. Majority refers to the individual ability of members of society to lead an enlightened, responsible and self-determined life. However, this definition does not cover the question as to which particular competencies are necessary in order to assume political participation rights in democratic societies. The following article provides answers. Backgrounds to debates and selected concepts of democratic action competence since the 1990s are presented for this purpose. This then forms the basis for outlining the possibilities for the promotion of democracy skills in VET.
Harald Hantke; Franziska Wittau; Bettina Zurstrassen
Civic and vocational and business educationalists have been calling for political and democratic education to be integrated into VET for decades. The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs also stresses that helping to shape the world of work and society by taking on economic, ecological and individual responsibility is a learning objective. Nevertheless, deficits in implementation still exist in many instances. The aim of this article is to determine the relationship between employability skills and democratic competence in conceptual terms. Two practical examples are used to illustrate political, vocational and didactic and methodological points of access for the learning venues. The final reflective summary draws conceptual and educational policy conclusions and states recommendations.
According to the Vocational Training Act, a holistic educational remit forms a core element of training in the dual system. In light of increasing political disenchantment and popularism, more and more companies providing training are wondering which aspects of civic education they can impart without running the risk of being perceived by the trainees as ideologically biased or manipulative. This article illustrates the points of reference offered in this regard by the standards in all occupational profile positions, which have been applicable since 2021. One of the aims is to foster cross-cutting competencies, which also form part of the employability skills set in the modern world of work, over the entire apprenticeship. These also include societal and democratic competencies and values such as participation, the ability to enter into discourse, solidarity and tolerance.
A third of employees in Germany have already observed extreme right-wing attitudes in the workplace. Almost one in ten was even personally affected. A study conducted by the anti-discrimination organisation Gesicht Zeigen! entitled “The responsibility rests with companies! Results of a survey of right-wing extremism in the world of work – challenges and the need for action” has for the first time presented figures and information on the role played by right-wing extremism in the economy and in the world of work and sets out the findings and requirements which have emerged.
The national “Democratic Competence for Companies Initiative” (Initiative betriebliche Demokratiekompetenz) has established a project network to support companies and vocational schools in effectively combating racism and right-wing extremism. The aim is to use formats which promote democracy as a vehicle to counter inequality ideologies and to develop democratic competencies. This article illustrates why focusing on the world of work can be beneficial in terms of encouraging democratic attitudes and competencies. It also provides insights into the network’s practical operation.
How can companies help to strengthen young people’s trust in democratic institutions and to fire their enthusiasm for democracy? The “Alliance of Opportunities” (Allianz der Chancen) is a cross-sector initiative of companies and institutions which has set itself the goal of sending out a strong signal in support of democracy by creating a workshop concept. The article presents the background, development and contents of this module-based concept.
The obstacles faced by training staff seeking to teach about democratic and societal participation during the training process include time pressure and an absence of advanced training. However, lack of awareness of structural discrimination constitutes a further hindrance. A self-monitoring tool has been developed as part of the Erasmus+-Project #GetInvolved. This provides companies with a means of analysing and improving their own participation structures.
The aim of the project “Promoting democracy in vocational education and training” is to help trainers overcome the challenges of a highly heterogeneous trainee community by providing them with various training measures. Democratic competence is a core skill in this regard. This article describes the background to and objectives of the project as well as the training formats offered.
This article takes the current challenges facing democratic societies and the entanglement of these with digital aspects as a starting point to show the connections between media and civic education and to present civic media education as a contemporary manifestation of education for democratic citizenship. It concludes by arguing that great significance should be attached to such civic media education within the context of VET too, both at the level of teaching contents and via relevant experiential spaces.
Monitoring is an important building block for evidence-based VET policy. The regular surveying of key indicators relating to the VET system delivers valuable impetuses for educational policy decisions. But to what extent is the apprentices’ perspective taken into account? This article presents how the point of view of apprentices is systematically recorded via surveys in the three countries. Differences between the approaches in the countries of comparison become evident.
Companies providing training are faced with a dilemma. On the one hand, they are legally required to ensure that training takes place on site. On the other hand, this contradicts a reality in which mobile working has become standard. This article explains how DATEV has developed a mobile training concept and the role played in this by “gamification”.
As part of the 2023 Continuing Training Monitor, continuing training providers were asked about occupationally related courses on hydrogen. Continuing training institutes with close ties to trade and industry are most likely to have become active in this topic area or to be planning relevant provision. However, the proportion of institutes offering continuing training courses of this nature currently remains low overall.
The reform of the IT continuing VET system represents a significant step towards modernisation of higher-level vocational education and training in the IT sector. An adjustment of the existing system, which is based on nationally standardised advanced training regulations, was inevitable in light of the ongoing skilled worker shortage and rapid technological developments. The aim of the reform is to increase the attractiveness and effectiveness of the IT continuing VET system for skilled workers and to adapt it to current and future requirements of the labour market. The new qualifications enter into force on 1 November 2024.
There is a training occupation separate from the fashion industry which combines creativity, dexterity, traditional craft skills and modern manufacturing processes. Custom tailors use their flair for design and fashion to produce everything from classic suits to theatrical costumes to one-off haute couture pieces for private persons and for the stage. This occupational profile sets out their most important tasks and provides training figures.
