- 2016Implementation
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- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
In the age of megatrends such as globalisation, demographic change, internationalisation and increasing mobility, a growing diversity is emerging that also affects working life and thus vocational training in Germany. Culture is becoming an increasingly important factor here, because many people have to deal with people from other cultures in their everyday working lives. The exchange with other cultures holds potential for conflict, but above all also great opportunities and potential for companies.
The so-called migration package contains many legislative changes that came into force on 1 January 2020. The acceptance of training is often linked to hopes for easier access of refugees to qualification and employment.
Objectives
To improve the intercultural competences of trainers and thereby to enable them to work with refugees and newly arrived migrants.
Description
Following the enormous influx of refugees in 2015-16, BIBB expanded its support offer to trainers on developing intercultural competences and training refugees. Since 2016, diverse activities promoting the intercultural competences of in-company trainers were provided on the web portals Foraus.de (BIBB), Ueberaus.de (BIBB) and stark-fuer-ausbildung.de (Strong for apprenticeships, by the DIHK chambers association).
The project Qualiboxx was replaced in 2016 by the online platform Überaus (BIBB), aiming to support the transition from school to apprenticeship and work. It reinforces intercultural competence for training in companies through the provision of information and materials for trainers (e.g. videos), who are working with refugees and newly arrived migrants.
A portal managed by the education service providers of the chambers of commerce and industry (DIHK) and of the chambers of skilled crafts (ZWH), was expanded to assist trainers in their work with refugees and newly arrived migrants. It provides best practice examples, a comprehensive knowledge base, continuing professional development modules and networking with partners such as the network Companies integrate refugees (Unternehmen integrieren Flüchtlinge). This network offers constant further training opportunities, publications, seminars/webinars, language flyers, visualisation aids, etc. for companies that deal with cultural differences. The network is an...
Following the enormous influx of refugees in 2015-16, BIBB expanded its support offer to trainers on developing intercultural competences and training refugees. Since 2016, diverse activities promoting the intercultural competences of in-company trainers were provided on the web portals Foraus.de (BIBB), Ueberaus.de (BIBB) and stark-fuer-ausbildung.de (Strong for apprenticeships, by the DIHK chambers association).
The project Qualiboxx was replaced in 2016 by the online platform Überaus (BIBB), aiming to support the transition from school to apprenticeship and work. It reinforces intercultural competence for training in companies through the provision of information and materials for trainers (e.g. videos), who are working with refugees and newly arrived migrants.
A portal managed by the education service providers of the chambers of commerce and industry (DIHK) and of the chambers of skilled crafts (ZWH), was expanded to assist trainers in their work with refugees and newly arrived migrants. It provides best practice examples, a comprehensive knowledge base, continuing professional development modules and networking with partners such as the network Companies integrate refugees (Unternehmen integrieren Flüchtlinge). This network offers constant further training opportunities, publications, seminars/webinars, language flyers, visualisation aids, etc. for companies that deal with cultural differences. The network is an initiative of the DIHK, funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. Under the topic of Integration in the company and diversity management, it offers recommendations for action, webinars and experience reports on the question of how intercultural skills can be imparted to employees. To find specific support measures, you can search the database by region and topic
In 2019, the following activities took place:
- the BIBB published the handbook for trainers, Diversity in vocational education and training - Successful in-company training of refugees;
- five interactive video clips, four films and various materials support good communication between apprentices with refugee status and the trainer in companies;
- the portal, stark-fuer-ausblidung.de, updated its comprehensive Trainer manual - knowledge modules for trainers who integrate refugees into apprenticeship;
- the University of Bonn offered a new continuing professional development for trainers, Integration perspective - Language at work (Perspektive Integration - Sprache im Beruf, PIB) from September 2019, funded by the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW); this practice-oriented programme is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia until September 2022. The programme provides vocational school teachers, company trainers and experts from institutions and organisations in the field of vocational education and training (VET) with further qualifications in the area of language support at the workplace and the language-sensitive design of training;
- in April 2019, the network Companies integrate refugees welcomed its 2000th member.
In 2020, the following activities took place:
- the so-called migration package contains many legislative changes that came into force on 1 January 2020;
- the web portal for in-company trainers, Foraus (BIBB), published a guide on the new roles and tasks of trainers, also promoting intercultural competences;
- the chambers' portal for trainers, Stark für Ausbildung - das Ausbilderportal, continued to address intercultural aspects for in-company trainers, focusing on refugees during three webinars in May, June and July 2020. In addition, an online continuing professional development (CPD) for trainers, Integrating refugees in and through apprenticeship, was provided in April/May 2020 and scheduled again for March/April 2021;
- the chambers association (DIHK) has also been broadcasting a podcast Be a Mentor (Sei ein Mentor) for in-company trainers since July 2020. In October 2020, the focus of the podcast was on communication with refugee apprentices during the corona crisis;
- the University of Bonn continues to provide the PIB CPD for trainers already mentioned in 2019;
- BIBB published in June 2020 a practical guide on vocational orientation and preparation for refugees and migrants.
Within the framework of a BMBF-funded project, the 'Überaus' expert unit has developed a qualification concept for on-site training for trainers. The aim is to prepare trainers for the demands that can arise in communicating with apprentices from different backgrounds and in different life situations. In four face-to-face modules, specific topics are dealt with that are relevant in practice and are largely independent of the sector, occupation and size of the company.
The BIBB and chambers portals continued to support in-company trainers in acquiring intercultural competences. Further, the University of Bonn continued to provide the PIB CPD 'Integration perspective - Language at work' for trainers.
In February 2021, the chambers network 'Companies integrate refugees' welcomed its 2 642th member.
In 2022, the BIBB and chambers portals continued to support in-company trainers in acquiring intercultural competences. Further, the funding for the PIB Integration perspective - Language at work CPD for trainers has been extended until the end of 2023, so that there are still no fees for participants.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, millions of people have fled, thousands of them have come to Germany. In 2022, the chambers network Companies integrate refugees published therefore an update of their handbook for volunteers supporting refugees, with a specific checklist for volunteers supporting refugees from Ukraine. In February 2023, the network welcomed its 3 446th member.
The BIBB Board has decided to update the framework plan for the Trainer Aptitude Ordinance (AEVO), in which, among other things, the intercultural competences of trainers are named as a learning objective. On the one hand, the skills of the trainers relate to a constructive, respectful and objective approach to intercultural differences when supervising apprentices with different cultural backgrounds. Equally important is the ability to impart intercultural competences to the apprentices.
The BIBB's training portal for trainers, Foraus, was transferred to the Leando portal in November 2023. Trainers can find tips on dealing with cultural differences on the website.
The dossier Qualification and labour market integration - refugees on the specialist portal Überaus was expanded to include information on the integration of refugees from Ukraine. The dossier for trainers Language and culture in training, updated in 2023, is also available on the specialist portal and contains a wealth of information on cultural differences.
University of Bonn continues to provide the PIB CPD for trainers already mentioned in 2019.
Generally speaking, it can be said that intercultural competences in VET have been taken up by the topics of dealing with diversity, diversity and heterogeneity and democracy education against the backdrop of social and political developments. Its relevance continues to be recognised politically due to the integration of refugees and the need for foreign skilled workers.
In the evaluation of the Vocational Orientation for Immigrants (BOF) funding programme (2022) (see also PD Integrating migrants and refugees in VET and work), reference was made to implementation difficulties on the part of companies in the integration of refugee/immigrant apprentices. The need for further support measures for company staff in dealing with people from a different cultural background in the course of an apprenticeship was cited as potential for improvement.
Since 2024, the BOFplus funding measure has followed on from the expired BOF programme. The objective explicitly refers to supporting companies during the apprenticeship of refugees/immigrants.
The chambers network Companies integrate refugees had 4289 members in October 2024.
The chambers' portal for trainers, Stark für Ausbildung - das Ausbilderportal (Strong for training - the trainer portal), continued to address intercultural aspects for in-company trainers, focusing on refugees, but also on skilled workers from abroad. Module five of the training focuses on the integration of foreign apprentices. The first workshop for trainers focuses on raising awareness of cultural differences, encouraging participants to reflect on their own role in an intercultural context and examining the life situation of refugees.
As part of the Q40 network (see also PD Digital education and upskilling of VET teachers), a further education module entitled Learning diversity and interculturality in nursing training is being offered, in which the digital support of apprentices with a history of flight and/or migration, behavioural problems and learning difficulties is taught.
The published issue of the journal BWP focussing on Migration and Integration is referred to on Leando in order to take a closer look at the role of vocational education and training in the integration of people with a migration background. The issue presents research findings and practical approaches.
University of Bonn continues to provide the PIB CPD for trainers already mentioned in 2019.
Bodies responsible
- Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)
- Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK)
- Central Office for Further Education in Skilled Crafts (ZWH e.V.)
- North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW)
- Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
Target groups
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
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.
This thematic sub-category covers all developments related to work-based learning (WBL) elements in VET programmes and apprenticeships which continue to be important in the policy agenda. It includes measures to stabilise the offer of apprenticeships, the implementation of the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships, and using the EU on-demand support services and policy learning initiatives among the Member States. It also covers further expansion of apprenticeships and WBL to continuing VET (CVET), for transition to work and inclusion of vulnerable groups, and for improving citizens’ qualification levels.
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 refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.
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.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of incentives that encourage learners to take part in VET and lifelong learning; VET providers to improve, broaden and update their offer; companies to provide places for apprenticeship and work-based learning, and to stimulate and support learning of their employees. It also includes measures addressing specific challenges of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) willing to create work-based learning opportunities in different sectors. Incentives can be financial (e.g. grants, allowances, tax incentives, levy/grant mechanisms, vouchers, training credits, individual learning accounts) and non-financial (e.g. information/advice on funding opportunities, technical support, mentoring).
This thematic sub-category refers to providing the possibility for individuals who are already in the labour market/in employment to reskill and/or acquire higher levels of skills, and to ensuring targeted information resources on the benefits of CVET and lifelong learning. It also covers the availability of CVET programmes adaptable to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and reskilling needs. The sub-category includes working with respective stakeholders to develop digital learning solutions supporting access to CVET opportunities and awarding CVET credentials and certificates.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
Osnabrück Declaration
- European Education and Training Area and international VET
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Intercultural competences for trainers: Germany. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/hr/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28148