2018 Contact seminar of German speaking vocational education and training research institutions

The main thematic focuses of the meeting were the challenges to Vocational Education and Training 4.0 thrown up by automation, digitalisation and new media, and skilled worker requirements and shortages. More than twenty academic researchers presented results and current projects and took advantage of the opportunity to engage in networking and in detailed discussion with colleagues.

During an introductory session in which each institutional representative presented the activities that were being pursued in their respective countries, Professor Hubert Ertl, Director of Research at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), provided a summary of the latest developments at BIBB. Isabelle Le Mouillour reported on a project aimed at developing national training standards with regard to stakeholders, procedures and structures in European comparative terms.

Above all, BIBB made its contribution within the scope of the first of the main thematic focuses – “Digitalisation/Industry 4.0/new media”. Professor Robert Helmrich led the way with a presentation on “Technological developments and the work landscapes of the future”, whilst Torben Padur fleshed out this summary by offering a paper entitled “Vocational Education and Training 4.0 – future opportunities via digitalisation”. BIBB also helped to shape the second main topic area of “new media”. Michael Härtel reported on the results of a representative study into the use of digital media by trainers and into their media-pedagogical competencies. Susanne Grimm provided information on a new information office on the topic of Open Educational Resources which has been established at BIBB.

The seminar also featured a further paper from Isabelle Le Mouillour in relation to the European context. She presented details of an online “Apprenticeship Toolbox” for dual training approaches in Europe.

The contact seminar is a regular networking event staged by German speaking VET research institutions which can look back on a long tradition. Participants comprise research institutes from Germany (Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, BIBB), Austria (Institute for Training Research in Trade and Industry, ibw / Austrian Institute for Research on Vocational Training, öibf) and Switzerland (Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, SFIVET). These institutes meet every two years to discuss current issues and challenges with regard to the further development of the VET systems in the countries concerned.