Vocational Education and Training

What is VET and why engage in it?

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is the secret behind Germany’s continued economic success. The institutionalized cooperation between companies, vocational schools, and the local chambers of commerce and industries is the backbone of Germany’s skilled and highly effective workforce. The constant interaction between those partners ensure that industry-demanded skills quickly find their way into schools’ curricula and teaching methods.

Besides providing German companies with a skilled workforce, Dual Education and Training also contributes to Germany’s low youth-unemployment rate. Companies dedicated to training young apprentices often offer immediate employment to graduates. For many young people, this is the first steppingstone in their professional career path.

But what exactly is Vocational Education and Training and how does it work? At its core, Vocational Education and Training is the alternate learning in two places: the school and the company.

Over the course of two to three years – depending on the profession – a learner will spend about 40 percent of his or her time in a vocational school and 60 percent in a dedicated training company.

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits of the Dual Education and Training approach for the learner and the company.  

The learner can immediately apply and hone the skills that have been taught in school. This will make book-knowledge much clearer and relevant. For another, learning in the company helps to establish rapport with potential future colleagues and to familiarize with work processes and rules. This will help graduates of a Dual Education and Training program to faster transition into the workplace.

Through Dual Education and Training, companies can influence the training content to suit their skills needs. This results in higher productivity from a well-trained workforce. Providing training is also a great opportunity for companies to guide trainees in their learning and observe their personalities and development over an extended period of time. This speeds up the hiring process while lowering recruitment costs. Best of all, retention of employees who underwent a training program is high.

From conceptualization to certification, the German Chambers Abroad support Dual Education and Training in their respective countries to ensure their member companies’ competitiveness in the global market.

German Chambers Abroad independently assure the quality of education “made in Germany” by organizing, mentoring, monitoring and qualifying all involved partners in a Dual Education and Training model.  

Who are the actors?

Local Adaptation – Global Quality

Dual vocational education and training abroad is primarily based on the quality standards contained in the German Vocational Training Act (BBiG). The quality of the German standards of dual vocational training is appreciated by companies and governments abroad and expected in many places.

At the same time, it is necessary to adapt training content and measures locally. By offering three training categories abroad, the various local conditions and needs of companies for dual vocational training or qualification abroad can be flexibly met.

The three categories are:

German dual vocational training abroad (A)
Local dual vocational training based on the German model (B)
Local dual qualification with elements of the German system (C)

Best Practices | Our VET partners

In 2008, it was the starting point and the initial spark of the international vocational education initiatives of Porsche in Aftersales which are now bundled under PAVE. It was in the Philippines where Porsche and its cooperation partners – PGA Cars, Inc. and Don Bosco Mondo under its implementation partner Don Bosco Technical Institute of Makati established the Porsche Training and Recruitment Centre Asia.  

In 2015, the Porsche Training and Recruitment Centre-Asia extended for other brands of VW Group which is then referred as PTRC-A 2.0. The yearly number of Students that are educated in the job profile of Automotive Service Mechatronics is based on the demand. The 24-month-education follows the PAVE Curriculum which is competence oriented and based on customer orders.  By developing and implementing suitable training standards, it aims to achieve a standardized certificate system with a qualification that is “Certified by Porsche”.   

In the first year of the 2-year program, students develop an understanding of the automotive industry and its technical basics. The training content is based on the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) automotive servicing qualification which qualifies the trainees to attain the National Certificate levels I and II or higher. During the second year, trainees receive Porsche-specific training including High voltage Certification Level 2 (High voltage technician) to service the automaker’s E-car series. 

As the PAVE trainees hone their practical skills in the service shop, they are supervised by GPCCI-trained and certified in-company trainers. A fully equipped workshop area of 1200 sqm (complete with training vehicles, lifters, tools and tester for diagnostics) enable the students to work on numberless simulated customer orders before they are sent out to an internship at PGA Cars dealerships (in Porsche and Audi workshop) to complete the 700 OJT hours.

Since 2017, the final examination is conducted in partnership with the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI). The practical and theoretical nature of the examination program qualify PAVE trainees to be certified according to the standards of “Local dual qualification with German system elements”, developed by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag - DIHK). So far, over 182 young men and women have undergone the scholarship-based PAVE program, which supports underprivileged youth in the Philippines. Until now around 170 of them have successfully passed the examination and received a joint PAVE / GPCCI certificate.

PAVE’s success in the Philippines has motivated its replication in other parts of the world. In 2017 the program was rolled out in South Africa, followed by Mexico and China in 2018.

In 2020 will start high voltage qualification on our PAVE E-UP, a special designed training equipment which can be used to simulate high voltage qualification on a higher level.  

"For Philippine youths, being able to build a skillset that offers a future is often not a matter of capability, but opportunity. We have seen that when given the chance, our trainees show more eagerness, talent, and confidence than they ever expected." 

- Katrin Azul, Director, Porsche Training and Recruitment Centre Asia (PTRC-A), GPCCI partner for assessment and certification of vocational training 

German Excellence Solutions (GES) was founded in the Philippines in February 2017 and employs 20 Filipinos to date. As experts for on-demand and professional cleaning, the company created a curriculum on a housekeeping conduct combining a systematic ecological cleaning approach and modern hygienic techniques. In close cooperation with the German Fürstenwalder Aus- und Weiterbildungszentrum gGmbH, GES developed a structured in-house training program modeled after German Standards for Dual Education and Training. GES employees undergo a 240-hours theoretical and practical training followed by a six-months on-the-job training. They are mentored by a GPCCI-trained and certified in-company trainer based on the German ordinance on aptitude of instructors.  

In 2019, GES developed an additional 240-hours Advanced Industrial Cleaning Course to further build the skills of its trainees and employees who have already undergone the Housekeeping training. The expansion into the industrial cleaning segment shows the importance of a continuous development of the training program.   

The practical and theoretical nature of the training programs qualify GES employees to be certified according to the standards of “Local dual qualification with German system elements”, as defined by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag - DIHK).  Since 2017, a total of 46 trainees have been enrolled in the professional training. 

GES believes that its training gives their trainees the right tools in a competitive regional and international industry to successfully fulfill customer needs. In addition, the German quality seal for skilled professionals gives GES trainees a competitive edge in the Philippine market.  

 “We are constantly working to improve and develop our training program to offer professional cleaning solutions that guarantee sustainable and high-quality standards. The use of industrial cleaning equipment requires an advanced training for a safe, effective, and efficient handling of the machines.”

Erika Esmani - President & CEO  

Training and Quality Management

The participants of vocational training measures in the Philippines are registered and supervised by the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI).

GPCCI ensures the quality of the vocational training measures throughout the entire duration. This is done by accompanying and advising the training companies and the company trainers. The companies and schools are supported in accordance with an agreed visit and advisory plan. The visits also serve as an opportunity for exchange and coordination with the companies' training and personnel managers.

At the same time, the trainees' report books are inspected. They are not only of informative and pedagogical importance, but also help to ensure learning quality. In addition, the document helps to provide an overview of the learners’ current of knowledge, skills and abilities.

Vocational Education and Training – VET