Making vocational training fit for the future

The main thematic focuses addressed by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) over the past year have been strengthening dual training, securing access to recognised vocational education and training for everyone, the permeability of vocational and academic education, international VET cooperation and the expansion of continuing training. The new 2013 BIBB Annual Report provides selected information on the important projects, programmes, results and services via which BIBB has made initial and continuing vocational education and training fit for the future. “Vocational education and training is a crucial plus for the economic strength of Germany”, states Reinhold Weiß, BIBB's Deputy President and Director of Research. “The research, development and advisory work carried out by BIBB provides important foundations and impetuses in this regard, and we use our Annual Report to present a focused summary of our activities.”

The BIBB Annual Report contains a representative sample of articles and analyses concerning projects and services that BIBB delivers for the academic research community, practice and policymakers. Chapters on “The training market and employment system”, “A modern and effective training system”, “Lifelong learning, permeability and equivalence of educational pathways”, “Further opening up of vocational education and training” and “Internationalisation of vocational education and training” are supplemented by extensive references to Internet portals and databases and to current specialist papers.

Cooperation with European and international partners was accorded a high degree of significance in 2013. The official opening of the German Office for International Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training (GOVET) at BIBB in September 2013 created the necessary conditions to support partner countries with their educational reforms. Within the scope of GOVET, BIBB provides specialist assistance for the European and extra-European VET cooperation entered into by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). GOVET coordinates the “Round Table” discussions on international vocational education and training cooperation and is the point of contact for interested parties from abroad seeking to access German VET expertise.

The BIBB Annual Report offers detailed information on the status of international cooperation. As is the case with other topics covered, related links enable targeted further study of the aspects covered.

The Annual Report may be downloaded free of charge at www.bibb.de/jahresbericht  , where a downloadable cover illustration is also available.
The print version of the Annual Report, ISBN 978-3-88555-963-4, may be ordered, again free of charge, from
Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), Division 1.4 – Publication Management
53142 Bonn or via vertrieb@bibb.de .

Reprint free of charge – voucher copy requested.