The German economy in Great Britain calls for a reform of vocational training. It would be best if the United Kingdom adopted the German system of dual training, Bernd Atenstaedt, President of the German Industry UK (GIUK) trade association, told the German Press Agency on Monday. “The fundamental problem is that education and training do not meet our standards. We have to do a lot of work there,” said Atenstaedt. Productivity suffers as a result.
But a change in mentality is also urgently needed, as Robert Halfon, the British Minister of State responsible for training, admitted in an interview with dpa. “There was a lot of snobbery about the difference between academic education and technical education,” Halfon said. The head of the European College of Business and Management (ECBM), Richard Bills, told the dpa that training for crafts, for example, was not valued. “Parents still want their kids to go to college full-time,” said Bills. Lawyers, bankers or doctors are more highly regarded than craftsmen.
In Great Britain – as in many countries – there is a blatant shortage of skilled workers. More than a million positions are vacant. Many working-age people have retired from the workforce during the pandemic.
“Landscape of Skills Changed”
Minister of State Halfon showed himself to be an admirer of the German training system. At the same time, he emphasized that the government is investing billions in flexible training programs and also promoting awareness in schools. There are free training courses for adults. A state “apprenticeship levy” not only encourages large companies to train young people, but also ensures a cultural change. “Now managers responsible for training belong to the board. That would never have happened before,” said the conservative politician. “Over the past few years, we’ve changed the landscape of skills.”
Halfon acknowledged there was still work to be done. “I want more young people, more experienced people to start an apprenticeship,” he said. But Britain is on the right track. The German Ambassador Miguel Berger also emphasized: “We cannot copy systems, but we can learn from each other.” In Germany, too, there are challenges for young people. “As we face similar challenges in the UK and Germany, we will look at where we can improve cooperation between our two countries on this issue.”
But the German economy is skeptical. “The issue of education and training is on the agenda of every prime minister,” said Atenstaedt. “We hope that there will be concrete steps.” One problem is the frequent change of personnel in the government. Education Minister Gillian Keegan is the tenth head of department since 2010. Last year alone, due to the political crisis, there were five different ministers. “You always have to get used to it again,” criticized Atenstaedt.
Solid education in Germany
Expert Bills also said that the frequent changes prevented a sustainable restructuring of the training system. “Many laugh at Germany’s fixation on certificates,” said Bills. There is solid training in Germany with chambers of crafts and master craftsman examinations – in Great Britain, on the other hand, there is hardly any quality assurance. “There’s no real system. And it’s normal when you go into this industry to learn on the job,” Bills said. Many craftsmen are more likely to be professional do-it-yourself workers.
The German economy is now picking up speed. “If the government does not introduce at least elements of German vocational training in this country, our companies will gradually introduce German vocational training here themselves,” said Atenstaedt. Some large German companies have already taken the training in Great Britain into their own hands and are oriented towards the dual system: four days in the company, one in a college. “We need the security that people will be well trained and that the state will support them,” said the GIUK President.
