Reform of Trainer Qualifications - Federal Republic of Germany

Source: CEDEFOP

Training of trainers must not lag behind the modernisation of in-company vocational training. The Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB - Federal Institute for Vocational Training) and the social partners were of the opinion that an adaptation of the more than 25-year-old 'Training the Trainers' concept to current requirements was long overdue. They got together to lay down new standards for training trainers. BIBB's Board summarised these standards in a framework curriculum which sets the course for in-company vocational training for the future.

The prime goal is to improve future trainers' competence and ability to perform the job. The new, modular course trains them to teach inter-disciplinary skills and to integrate tasks, instead of just teaching a single subject in isolation.

The 120-hour course builds up trainers' skills in teaching students to plan, implement and check their own work. Trainers also learn a wide repertoire of training methods and see how they can utilise modern training techniques in a professional context.

They must subsequently prove in a written and oral examination that they can plan, implement and monitor the success of training courses on their own, and that they can independently master tasks and problems typical of their field.

The reform proposals for the training of trainers are based on the new trainer suitability regulations and the new specimen examination to prove occupational and educational knowledge and skills, which both came into effect on 1 November 1998.

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EMP/SKILLS - Skills and Employability Department