Cover Story
Summer 2018 / Issue 58
Learn & Earn – German Dual
Vocational Training in Macedonia
D
ual vocational training
in technical and com-
mercial fields has a long
history in Germany.
Since the 18th century,
from the times of guilds and market
trades, vocational training has been
in the DNA of German, Swiss and
Austrian people.
Private-public
partnerships
between the state, the private sec-
tor and chambers of commerce
work well, and depending of the
economic situation there is always a
need to foster and adjust this ‘golden
triangle.’
Although dual training is facing
challenges even in Germany, espe-
cially in these turbulent times, this
model is key for achieving the lowest
youth unemployment rate in Europe
of only 7, 1%.
The system of dual vocational train-
ing enables students to gain knowl-
edge, skills, and qualifications which
correspond to the fast-changing
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AmCham Macedonia Magazine
needs of the business sector. The dual training is imple-
mented both in the school (theoretical part) and in the com-
pany (practical part) where ‘learning by doing’ is the main
focus of the program.
Author:
Tobias Bolle, Program
Leader for Dual Training
(Skills Expert Program),
Delegation of German
Industry and Commerce
in Macedonia (AHK)
The Situation in Macedonia
Macedonia inherited an obsolete vocational education
and training (VET) system and the subsequent develop-
ment of the education system was focused on general
high school education which could lead into any field
of university studies. This strategy might have worked
if there was an abundance of jobs available afterwards.
Unfortunately, the labor market in Macedonia does not
have the capacity to absorb all the graduates that come
out of universities. On the other hand, a lot of jobs in the
technical production field are vacant because there is not
enough qualified staff graduating from the technical voca-
tional schools. However, technical high schools in Mace-
donia have dedicated teachers and functional equipment
which means there is hope for the future of vocational
training in Macedonia. Recognizing the need for qualified
technicians, beside the German initiative, there is also
the Swiss Embassy together with Helvetas and the Eco-
nomic chamber of Macedonia who recently launched a
10-year program for Education for Employment in Mace-
donia (E4E@mk).
Summer 2018 / Issue 58
How is AHK Implementing Dual Training in Macedonia?
The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce(AHK)
is part of a large and experienced network with over 120
offices in 80 countries. Dual training is part of the service
portfolio of a lot of chambers worldwide. Even in the United
States of America, through a skills initiative by former pres-
ident Barack Obama, the AHK in Chicago and Atlanta now
offer large programs to German and American clients.
In the Balkans, the German Chambers in Croatia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Slovenia are also replicating
this model.
Macedonia kicked off its attempt at dual training in April
2017 within the Skills Expert Program supported by the Fed-
eral Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). Two
full time employees are engaged to work on this program.
What is important to note is that all attempts at imple-
mentation of the systematic elements of German dual train-
ing follow the same pattern in every country. First, industry
demands are researched and qualified, which is an import-
ant step to avoid skills mismatch and ensure the sustainabil-
ity of the programs. There are over 300 occupational profiles
in Germany and the length of programs varies between two
and four and a half years. In Macedonia, besides the long-
term vocational training, AHK also organises short technical
trainings, lasting one or two weeks, in a form of in-house
injection moulding training or Train the Trainer.
During the kick off of the program in September 2017,
AHK established a Vocational Training Committee (VTC),
consisting of selected members from the private sector,
ministries, and schools, which serves as an exchange
instrument and provides conclusions regarding the curric-
ula, the training program and, later on, forms the Examina-
tion Committees.
Starting in September 2018 and for the following four
years, five companies are launching a new technical profile
- industrial mechatronic - in high schools in two regions of
the country within the national 4 year education system.
Besides obtaining a graduation diploma (matura), the stu-
dents will also have a chance to be offered an employment
contract right after graduation as line leaders, maintenance
operators, or technicians. The interest among student is
very high judging from the number of youngsters (300-400)
that visited the regional information fairs.
Cover Story
In addition to German companies, American as well as
domestic companies are showing interest in participating
in this initiative and are more than welcome to join the pro-
gram. AHK awards the companies that join the program
with a recognition seal -“This Company Participates in Dual
Training.” The seal means that the company is committed
to creating a quality learning environment for the young-
sters including a training room, dedicated mentors. Pocket
money, food and transport allowance are additional ser-
vices that a vocational training companies might offer.
In order to strengthen the public sector and the capacities
of school teachers, AHK is planning a study trip in South
Germany to visit IHK (Chamber of Commerce), the dual
training partner company Marquardt Headquarters and few
technical vocational education and training (TVET) schools.
Another helpful tool to in crease knowledge and produc-
tivity provided by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooper-
ation and Development (BMZ) is the Senior Expert Service
(SES). Through this service, around 11.000 experts in many
fields can provide consultancy to Macedonian partners like
government institutions, private companies, or others.
The Benefits of Dual Vocational
Training for Children and Parents
Parents who want the best for their children think the
best course of action is to send them to university. But
the reality is that not many university graduates succeed
in getting a well-paid job or development opportunities.
Entering the dual training program during high school
should be considered an important option in career plan-
ning and development. After completing the program,
graduates have the possibility to easily get an entry-level
position, and with further practical training and learning
experience it is possible to advance to higher positions
such as line leader or maintenance manager.
In addition, participating companies send their staff
for training in Germany and even offer scholarships for
employees interested in continuing their education at
universities.
The concept of dual training has already proven suc-
cessful in the USA, China, and Serbia, where amend-
ments to the legislation of TVET have been made.
The time is right for dual training in Macedonia, having
in mind that educational institutions have a need to further
develop and progress and the business sector is ready to
absorb a qualified workforce. All interested stakehold-
ers can contact the German Chamber(AHK) and get more
information on dual vocational training on the following
e-mail: [email protected].
AmCham Macedonia Magazine
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