德國中心30周歲生日

German Central Office for Practice Firms

　　Happy anniversary - 30 years is a long time, and after a turbulent economic year, it is a good opportunity to look back and reflect.

　　Armed with pencil and index cards we started our work with 80 practice firms in Germany, almost exclusively in adult education and supported by the employment office.

　　The initial training period in the practice firm was generally nine months, extended by three months for a further training qualification. Retraining e.g. to become an industrial clerk or a travel agent lasted up to 24 months, which could be shortened to approximately 20 months.

　　The practice firm ran for 40 hours per week, and for each group of students for 9, 12, 20 or 24 months duration. Educational institutions were given the opportunity to provide targeted training for all participants in the different workplaces.

　　Connected with this was, of course, the certainty that one could be supported safely and uncontrolled over many months.

　　The financiers were also aware of this fact.

　　As a result, the employment offices found themselves forced to carry out stricter controls and measures, and approve shorter financing periods. This meant that the individual educational institution had to focus on the planning and delivery of relevant training courses, to be eligible for financial support, and also to deliver comprehensible initial and further training.

　　In addition the method of funding changed. Education vouchers were issued for eligible training courses, responsibilities shifted, educational institutions were no longer recommended or became compulsory for the participation to attend.

　　The trainee could decide which course he/she wanted to take part in, and at which educational institution.

　　This of course had the consequence that one or more compulsory preset educational institutions had problems.

　　If for example three educational institutions competed for the same training in one district it could happen that one third of the potential applicants would register at each of them. This in turn meant that the training measure could not be carried out by any of these institutions due to finance.

　　Likewise the so-called "pinpoint measure" meant that the participant trained in a specific way (e.g. trained for a specialist/unique job at the company xy in e.g. the Rhine Main area) could no longer find employment as the described job no longer existed, as that employer had gone bankrupt. This also caused employment problems. Admittedly a bit exaggerated but could happen.

　　Meanwhile, the initial problems have been solved. Most of the problems have been removed and the initial and further training put on solid footing. Participants and educational institutions are involved in the creation of new training courses and once again the educational world is stable again and moving on.

　　Werner Auer

　　Manager German Central Office

　　auer@zuef.de