Quality and competence: VET cooperation with Costa Rica

Dual vocational education and training was established as an educational option for young people in Costa Rica just over four years ago. The first dual programmes under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación Pública, MEP) and the Institute for Initial and Continuing Training (Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje, INA) were launched at the start of 2022. Since then the system has seen continual growth both in terms of the training places on offer and in the numbers of trainees. Highly qualified trainers are the key to these programmes’ success. For this reason, specialist advice in 2025 focused on the training of company training personnel (personas mentoras). Together with the working group of the national VET commission (Equipo Técnico), GOVET designed a continuing education series which was then implemented with the assistance of experts from BIBB.

The series began in September 2025 with a virtual contact seminar on understanding the roles of training personnel in the dual system. Expectations, responsibilities and challenges were at the core of this. In October, this was followed by a two-day in-person workshop in San José which took up key practical aspects of modern, employment-oriented training, including communication, conflict resolution, learning location cooperation, and individual support offers for trainees.

The workshops were designed, moderated and enriched with expert input from Isabelle Schlender (BIBB, Division 2.5 VET Staff) and Julia Olesen (GOVET). The focus was on interactive group work. Trainers from different specialisms took part in the first workshop. National consultants from the education ministry (MEP), the national continuing training institute INA as well as directors of the Colegios Técnicos Profesionales (CTPs) also participated in the two other workshops. In total, around 50 individuals took part in the continuing training format.

In addition, a webinar on digital tools and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday training took place in November. This revealed a heterogeneous image: While some trainers already regularly use AI to create learning materials, others are more reserved in their approach to these applications.

A guide, created by Leando and which is aimed at skilled trainers, was adapted for Costa Rica and given a new layout. Leando is the main contact point at BIBB for training and examination staff and provides information, networking opportunities, and materials for structuring everyday training and on the examination system.

Long-term commitment and trustful cooperation is appreciated

The VET cooperation between Germany and Costa Rica reached a particular high point in 2025. As part of the VET commission’s fourth conference, at the leadership level GOVET and specifically Julia Olesen as project head received an award for their many years of commitment. Vice Minister for Education Sofía Ramírez honoured the ongoing expert support in establishing VET in Costa Rica.

GOVET’s contribution to the successful work of the VET commission and the accompanying working group (Equipo Técnico), in whose weekly sessions GOVET has a consultant role, was especially emphasised. The recognition underlined both the high appreciation shown to the bilateral cooperation, and the significance of dual VET as a key reform project in the Costa Rican educational system.

Involvement of the German embassy and hands-on exchange

In 2025, too, close coordination with the German embassy remained a key element of the cooperation. On the initiative of the German ambassador Daniel Kriener, a meeting took place at the diplomatic mission in which education, economic and social partnership representatives from both countries took part. The goal was to continue developing joint perspectives on VET.

A particular highlight was the event’s culinary concept: Trainees and trainers of the WestIn Reserva Conchal hotel prepared a dish that combined elements of Costa Rican and German cuisine. Enrique Mejías Céspedes, trainer at the national continuing training institute INA, who had already taken part in multiple dialogue formats in Germany, provided expert support with the task. In 2025 he delved into this dialogue once again with a multiple-week stay in Germany, which included networking with chefs from the Frankfurt area.

Support of the commission’s work and institutional further development

As part of the stay there, GOVET again supported the VET commission’s working group with various events. This included a workshop with the National Council for Inclusion (Consejo Nacional de Personas con Discapacidad, CONAPDIS) and dialogue with the association of pharmaceutical companies in Costa Rica.

At the request of the head of the technical training department at the Costa Rican Ministry of Education, GOVET also moderated a workshop on developing a “service portfolio” for the department. At the workshop, the services of the department for vocational schools were categorised in a structured way and their responsibilities clearly separated from the tasks at local and regional levels. The goal was to create transparency and clarify responsibilities in order to avoid double structures.

Inclusion and international networking

In 2025 the topics of inclusion and diversity were also discussed with the Costa Rican partners. In August, GOVET, the INA and the working group of CAP (Comisión Asesora y Promotora, CAP) jointly organised a webinar on including people with disabilities in VET. A representative from the BIBB department “Vocational Education and Training of People with Disabilities” presented key approaches and success factors. It became clear that despite numerous initiatives in Costa Rica, VET for this target group had to date only been implemented in some individual cases. Against this background, the working group (Equipo Técnico) announced that they would assign the topic a higher priority in future.

In a video interview with the GOVET editorial team for German Diversity Day in May 2025, project head Julia Olesen focused on the value of diversity in the Costa Rican training system. She explained the institutional foundations for diversity and inclusion, the integration of people with disabilities, the support of women in technical occupations, and the inclusion of Indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups.

Regular dialogue with German stakeholders

GOVET worked with national and international partners to produce a publication on the topic of data reporting in vocational education and training, which was published in mid-April 2026. The publication brings together a range of different perspectives provided by 70 authors from 15 countries in 33 articles. Authors from Costa Rica also contributed two articles to the publication.