Stakeholder Cooperation in Germany

The governance of the dual apprenticeship system in Germany is a joint task of the state, social partners and business and trade organisations. The Federal Government is responsible for the in-company part of the training, and the Federal States run the vocational schools. The involvement of social partners in decision-making processes at all levels is regulated in the Vocational Training Act.

Federal Government

The Federal Government defines the legal framework for the in-company part of initial vocational education and training through laws and regulations. Within the government, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is responsible for the general policy for vocational education and training, e.g. the Vocational Training Act, training regulations and the implementation of programmes to foster vocational education and training. The single federal ministries are responsible for the enactment of the training regulations in their competence areas. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) bears responsibility for most training occupations. Approval from the BMBF is necessary in order to enact a training regulation.

Federal States

The Federal States run the part-time vocational schools (Berufsschulen). The 16 Federal States have responsibility for legislation and administration in the areas of education, science and culture (cultural sovereignty). The distribution of legislative competence between the Federal Government and the Federal States is defined in the Basic Law (1949). Training provided in vocational schools is governed by education acts at the level of the Federal States. The federal state ministers responsible coordinate their policies in the “Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK)”.

Social Partners

According to the principle of consensus, the social partners are involved in the governance of German VET at all levels. Under the Works Constitution Act and the Employee Representation Act, the trade unions also participate in the implementation of vocational education and training. The associations of employers represent the interests of the training companies – mostly private law entities – in which the training takes place.

Companies

It is a fundamental feature of the system that companies assume the responsibility for training young people. They offer training places on a voluntary basis, but in-company training itself is regulated through the Vocational Training Act and the training regulations for single training occupations. Companies assume legal responsibility towards the apprentices on the basis of the apprenticeship training contracts within the scope of existing work legislation. They are supported in their tasks by the relevant chambers, which also provide quality control / assurance.

Cooperation via committees and boards

The cooperation of the different stakeholders mainly takes place via committees and boards (see also Involvement of social partners).

Coordination between the Federal Government and the Federal States is not legally regulated and depends on mutual agreement. The “Federal/State Coordinating Committee for Vocational Education and Training” deals with the coordination of in-company vocational education and training and vocational training in the part-time vocational schools in recognised training occupations. It is involved in the approval of the renewal of training occupations and the harmonisation of training regulations and framework curricula for training in companies and at school. Its members are representatives of the Federal Government and the 16 Federal States.

The involvement of the social partners is regulated in the Vocational Training Act. Their representatives are members of the Board of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), the Federal State Boards and the Vocational Education and Training Committees of the chambers. The examination boards of the chambers include an equal number of employer and employee representatives.

Cooperation by negotiated agreements

In 2004, the Federal Government, employers’ associations and professional associations concluded the “National Pact for Career Training and Skilled Manpower Development in Germany”. This contained a self-commitment of the employers to provide more training places and additional support measures from the public sector. The aims of the National Pact included securing the provision of apprenticeship placements and improving guidance to students in companies. The pact has now been extended for a second time as the “Alliance for Initial and Further Training” until 2021. It includes different VET stakeholders (federal ministries, Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, Federal Employment Agency, Employers’ associations, Trade Unions). The objectives of the alliance concluded in 2019 are:

bringing more companies and young people together and keeping them in training,
further strengthening of attractiveness and quality of dual training as well as jointly promoting VET and,
strengthening further vocational training and promoting higher vocational training.

Stakeholder Cooperation in Germany