- 2025Implementation
Background
Digitalisation, automation, and data-driven production and business models are reshaping occupations and qualification requirements. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into everyday work processes, influencing how people learn and perform their jobs.
Many sectors in Germany already face a shortage of skilled workers who possess competences in data management, data analysis, and AI systems. Vocational education and training (VET) must therefore adapt to prepare apprentices, trainees, and professionals for emerging technological and organisational demands.
To address this transformation, Germany has developed several strategies and action plans, led by ministries such as the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS). These strategies combine research funding, infrastructure development, ethical and legal frameworks, and educational reform.
At the same time, surveys show that young people view AI competences as crucial for their future careers but often feel inadequately prepared by their current training pathways. This underlines the importance of integrating AI-related learning opportunities across the vocational system.
Ethical, social, and data protection considerations also play a major role in policy development. The focus is on ensuring that AI applications are used responsibly, transparently, and in a human-centred way—balancing innovation with trust, fairness, and inclusiveness.
Objectives
The main objectives of Germany’s AI-related initiatives in VET can be summarised as follows:
- competence development – to promote technical knowledge in fields such as AI, data analytics, and machine learning, while also fostering transversal skills like ethical reflection, problem-solving, and adaptability.
- integration into training and further education – to move beyond isolated pilot courses and embed AI systematically into training regulations, curricula, and qualification standards.
- innovation and knowledge transfer – to ensure that research findings and AI solutions are effectively transferred into real business practice, particularly supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
- capacity building for educational and research institutions – to provide professional development for teachers and trainers, improve infrastructure, and ensure legal and organisational readiness.
- ethical and inclusive development – to guarantee that AI implementation in education respects social values, ensures data protection, and promotes equal opportunities for all learners.
Description
In 2018, the German Federal Government adopted and launched it’s AI Strategy, which provides the overarching policy framework, ans also launched its AI action plan. These include investments in AI research, digital infrastructure, teacher and workforce development, and ethical governance. The strategy also supports international cooperation and monitoring through milestones and performance indicators.
One of the flagship projects is KI B³ – 'Integrating AI into VET', which was launched end of 2020. The project develops additional qualifications in technical and commercial occupations, alongside two new continuing education degrees corresponding to Levels 5 and 6 of the German Qualifications Framework (DQR). These qualifications enable skilled workers to acquire AI-related competences relevant to their occupational field. The project is a collaborative effort involving vocational schools, chambers of commerce, enterprises, and training professionals. It runs over approximately four years, with pilot regions testing and evaluating the approach before a broader rollout is planned across Germany.
In 2025, the KI B³ project was active in several German regions. AI-related qualifications and continuing education frameworks were designed and then piloted and evaluated. Early results indicate growing interest among both companies and training institutions.
The dissemination of good practice had also accelerated. Increasing numbers of vocational schools, training centres, and enterprises were experimenting with AI-supported learning environments, such as adaptive learning software and chatbots. The Hermann Schmidt Prize helped to identify and make visible exemplary initiatives in this field.
According to surveys by BIBB, around 60 % of employees had already used AI technologies informally in their daily work. However, formalised structures in vocational education - such as curricula and qualification frameworks - had still been in the process of being updated to reflect these developments.
Bodies responsible
- Chambers of industry and commerce (IHKs)
- Federal Government
- Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)
- Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Adult learners
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Modernising VET infrastructure
This thematic category looks at how VET schools and companies providing VET are supported to update and upgrade their physical infrastructure for teaching and learning, including digital and green technologies, so that learners in all VET programmes and specialities have access to state-of-the-art equipment and are able to acquire relevant and up-to-date vocational and technical skills and competences. Modernising infrastructure in remote and rural areas increases the inclusiveness of VET and LLL.
This thematic sub-category focuses on establishing and upgrading to state-of-the-art digital infrastructure, equipment and technology, such as computers, hardware, connectivity and good broadband speed that should ensure quality and inclusive VET provision, especially in blended and virtual modes. It also includes specific measures to remove the digital divide, e.g. supporting geographically remote or rural areas to ensure social inclusion through access to such infrastructure for learning and teaching. It also includes support measures for learners from socially disadvantaged backgrounds to acquire the necessary equipment.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
VET standards and curricula define the content and outcomes of learning, most often at national or sectoral levels. VET programmes are based on standards and curricula and refer to specific vocations/occupations. They all need to be regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with the needs of the labour market and society. They need to include a balanced mix of vocational and technical skills corresponding to economic cycles, evolving jobs and working methods, and key competences, providing for resilience, lifelong learning, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, sustainable awareness and personal development (Council of the European Union, 2020). The thematic sub-category also refers to establishing new VET programmes, reducing their number or discontinuing some. It also includes design of CVET programmes and training courses to adapt to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and re-skilling needs.
This thematic sub-category refers to acquisition of key competences and basic skills for all, from an early age and throughout their life, including those acquired as part of qualifications and curricula. Key competences include knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability and lifelong learning, social inclusion, active citizenship and sustainable awareness. Key competences include literacy; multilingual; science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM); digital; personal, social and learning to learn; active citizenship, entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression (Council of the European Union, 2018).
This thematic sub-category refers to updating VET curricula and programmes to incorporate skills related and needed for the digital transition, including sector- and occupation-specific ones identified in cooperation with stakeholders.
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category is in line with the EU policy focus on the digital transition, and refers to professional development and other measures to prepare and support teachers and trainers in teaching their learners digital skills and competences. It also covers measures and support for them to increase their own digital skills and competences, including for teaching in virtual environments, working with digital tools and applying digital pedagogies. Emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic also fall into this sub-category.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
- VET as a driver for innovation and growth preparing for digital and green transitions and occupations in high demand
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
Osnabrück Declaration
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2026). Application of Artificial Intelligence in VET: Germany. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2026). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2025 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/ga/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/49683