What we do and how we work is changing rapidly. This requires workers to continuously adapt to specific new developments in their occupational field. For example, plant mechanics today install smart devices and heat pumps in homes and roofers use drones to inspect buildings.Participants in continuing vocational training can build their knowledge, familiarize themselves with new technologies and fields of work or even prepare for a change of career. Continuing vocational training helps to strengthen the innovative capacity of our society, increase competitiveness on the global market and close the skills gap. Employers and companies bear primary responsibility for corporate continuing training. Continuing vocational training includes retraining, upskilling and learning at work.
BMBF activities
The BMBF supports initiatives and programmes which develop new continuing training opportunities (InnoVET) and training strategies (continuing education mentoring) and promote continuing training. Furthermore, the BMBF’s INVITE innovation competition has made a vital contribution to improving the search for suitable continuing training programmes, strengthening user focus on continuing training platforms and expanding opportunities for AI-supported continuing training.
Strengthening job-related continuing training through mentoring
More than 440 continuing education mentors are working to enhance skill-building and continuing training in roughly 150 companies and administrations in various sectors throughout the country. They focus on motivating people with low skills or negative educational experiences to engage in continuing training. People need different, individual incentives to participate in further learning during their working life. It has become evident that needs-based, job-related one-to-one support is increasingly important. This is where continuing education mentors come in: project findings have revealed that there is untapped potential for continuing education mentoring in companies and administrations to fill this gap.
National Skills Strategy
The National Skills Strategy (NWS) strengthens the general framework for continuing vocational training. It involves close cooperation between 17 partners: the Federal Government, the Länder, employers and unions as well as the Federal Employment Agency. They look at developments in continuing vocational training from different perspectives and identify emerging challenges early on. Working together, the partners develop a forward-looking framework and targeted funding initiatives.
Funding of continuing vocational training
The Upgrading Training Assistance Act (Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz, AFBG) supports people preparing for advanced qualifications in over 700 occupations including Meister, Fachwirt, technician, educator or Betriebswirt.
The BMBF-funded continuing training scholarships (Weiterbildungsstipendien) are aimed at new entrants to the workforce. For up to three years, they can receive grants towards the cost of specialist or more general continuing education and training. In addition, professional advancement scholarships (Aufstiegsstipendien) are available which support people with professional experience during their first course of academic higher education study.
Other sources of financial support
Funding opportunities are provided by the Federal Government, the Länder and at regional level. Employers may also provide support. Irrespective of age, qualification and company size, employees can receive funding for continuing training from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) if their job can be replaced by technology or is otherwise affected by structural change or if they wish to retrain in a shortage occupation.
For further information, please visit the national online portal for continuing training, mein NOW. By the way, continuing training expenses are tax-deductible.
Editorial deadline for this text: 01.11.2024