Canada: In-depth dialogue on vocational education and training

The dialogue with our transatlantic partner Canada has noticeably intensified in recent months, including on issues relating to initial and continuing vocational education and training. The reason for this is that reforms in this area are currently a high priority in Canada. In Canada, too, companies play a leading role in apprenticeships. However, cooperation between the state and industry in the management and implementation of apprenticeships is set to improve. Industry organisations stand ready to drive innovation in vocational education and training, shape transformation processes in work and learning, and improve access to and opportunities for apprenticeships. The key objectives of current vocational education and training developments in Germany – more excellent, flexible and inclusive – could equally apply to Canada.

The country, valued for its cosmopolitan outlook, is actively seeking dialogue with international partners to enrich its own reform efforts with expertise from abroad. In collaboration with the German Embassy in Ottawa, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) organised a virtual Canada-Germany roundtable on 15 April, which focused primarily on skills development in line with employer needs. Leaders from government, public authorities, business associations, trade unions, and education and labour market organisations were invited. In its so-called ‘Red Seal’ programmes, Canada also implements work-based standardisation and regulation of training provision. The Deputy Head of GOVET, Peter Rechmann, presented the functioning of the dual system by way of comparison. The Canadian side was particularly interested in the shared responsibility between the state, employers and employees, and the national validity of standards.

CAF organised an exchange across all time zones on 20 May. Partners from the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN) in Australia, New Zealand and Guatemala took part and provided information on, for example, employer initiatives for quality assurance and standardisation (AUS), strengthening the role of employers and initiatives for better inclusion of educationally disadvantaged groups, and the renegotiation of governance roles between business and the state based on research data (GUA). The exchange impressively demonstrated just how highly German dual vocational training continues to be regarded internationally. During the panel discussion, the remarks by Dr Ralf Hermann, Head of GOVET, on the mechanisms of collaboration between the state and the business sector, on the vocational principle, and on the vocational education understanding of comprehensive competence met with a particularly positive response. Peter Rechmann, Deputy Head of GOVET, also chaired a working group at the virtual symposium and, using the cost-benefit ratio, explained the reasons behind German companies’ commitment to training and their willingness to invest in future-proof skills.

The technical discussions echo the recent political-level talks between Canada and Germany on education, work and employment, which demonstrate the significant mutual interest. On the fringes of the visit by Paul Thompson, Canada’s Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development, GOVET was invited to a technical meeting on 21 May. During the meeting, Ralf Hermann answered the Minister’s questions on, among other things, the social partnership-based governance of vocational training in Germany, standards and modularisation, the integration of initial and continuing vocational training, and the challenges posed by the increased focus on academic education at universities, the inclusion of disadvantaged groups, and the recruitment of skilled workers. There is strong interest in all these topics on both sides. Furthermore, the high regard in which Canada is held as a country of excellent research and as a sought-after destination for trainees from Germany was conveyed.