Study Visit to Berlin College of Further Education for Information Technology and Medical Equipment Technology ——————Monday 12 to Friday 16 January 2015

 

Introduction

The College The Berlin College of Further Education for Information Technology and Medical Equipment Technology is a type of school at upper secondary level that is comprised of various vocational schools offering courses in both general and vocational education subjects at grades 11 to 13. Information technology or medical equipment technology is part of all courses. Due to our concept of integrated teaching, all members of the teaching staff teach in all types of schools and courses according to their qualifications.  All teachers are fully trained university graduates.

 

Overview of Vocational Education System in Berlin

Every year, over 35,000 young people leave Berlin’s vocational schools with a degree and good prospects for the labor market.

Berlin offers young adults who have completed their general education a broad spectrum of vocational courses of study and opportunities to earn a higher degree at a professional or vocational school or a post-secondary professional training center.

The advanced secondary vocational education centers (Oberstufenzentrum – OSZ) are a success story in the Berlin education system. The OSZ’s are professional centers of expertise that unite the following kinds of schools under one roof:

• Vocational college preparatory school (berufliche Gymnasien),
• Vocational schools (Berufsschulen),
• Full-time vocational schools (Berufsfachschulen),
• Higher trade and technical schools (Fachoberschulen),
• Higher vocational school (Berufsoberschulen),
• Trade and technical schools (Fachschulen). In the dual education system, learning happens both in the vocational classroom and through practical on-the-job training. In close cooperation with Berlin business and industry, the OSZ’s implement the classroom education component for about 350 recognized occupations requiring formal training. Exploring Work Experience/Work Placement/Work Based Learning in Berlin
• Role and Responsibilities of the College Management:-
• Depending on their educational path and the vocational school they attend, students who have completed 10th grade can choose to earn a secondary school diploma, a diploma qualifying for entrance to a university of applied science, or a diploma qualifying for entrance to a university (Abitur). The latter can be obtained at a vocational college preparatory school, the advanced academic course at an OSZ and allows a student to enter any degree program at any university or other institution of higher learning.

1. An Open Day is provided for Parents with a view to Marketing the College and giving Parents an opportunity to engage with staff
3. The college will demand evidence from Students that their Training Contracts between the Companies and themselves are registered with the Chamber of Commerce prior to accepting them into a Programme
5. Developing a Teaching and Learning environment that encapsulates ———–What it means to be a Professional Person—–
6. Fostering the concept of Quality for all aspects of the College
8. Supporting Staff as responsible for delivering the best Quality Service to the Students in the context of —One Third suffering from Burn Out, One Third absent and distant from Change with a Third supporting the Leadership of the College
10. Facilitating Internships for Teaching Staff Re—6 Months or 12 Months 
11.  
12. (We need more information about this Arrangement)
13. Preparing Trainees for a Variety of Setting in the Work Place
15. Facilitating Meetings at least two or three times per year with Employers.

 

1. Preparing an Agenda for the Meetings with Employers as relevant for Two Hours duration that would focus on:

• Demands of Particular Jobs

 

• Review of Further Training Expectations

 

• Considering the concept of having new Jobs and related Job Specifications

 

• Preparation of Recommendations in the context of New Job Specifications as necessary for consideration by the Chamber of Commerce who is the responsible authority for the management and delivery of all Examination Matters.

1. Allocate a Teacher to Support a Group of Students for their Work Placements as implemented in Third Year of a Four Year Programme
3. Each Department in the College has a Technical Group with responsibility to establish and sustain Professional Standards for both Teachers and Students.
5. Provision of an Evaluation Platform where Students can discuss problems with the teaching and learning process—(One Third of Staff using the Platform)
7. Processing Work Placement data as completed by Teachers and Employers Re—Examining Body/Chamber of Commerce Requirements
9. The college will demand evidence from Students that their Training Contracts between the Companies and themselves are registered with the Chamber of Commerce prior to accepting them into a Programme
11. Developing a Teaching and Learning environment that encapsulates ———–What it means to be a Professional Person—–
13. Fostering the concept of Quality for all aspects of the College
15. Supporting Staff with a view to delivering the best Quality Service to the Students in the context of —One Third suffering from Burn Out, One Third opposing Change and working with a Third that supports the Leadership of the College
17. Facilitating Internships for Teaching Staff Re—6 Months or 12 Months 
18. (We need more information about this Arrangement)
19. Preparing Trainees for a Variety of Setting in the Work Place
21. Allocate a Teacher to Support a Group of Students for their Work Placements as implemented in Third Year of a Four Year Programme
23. Each Department in the College has a Technical Group with responsibility to establish and sustain Professional Standards for both Teachers and Students.
25. Provision of an Evaluation Platform where Students can discuss problems with the teaching and learning process—(One Third of Staff using the Platform)
27. Processing Work Placement data as completed by Teachers and Employers Re—Examining Body/Chamber of Commerce Requirements

(We need documents translated from German to English)

Role and Responsibilities of the Teachers:

 

1. To provide the best Quality Service to the students.
3. Participate and contribute to the work of the Technical Group that is mandated to form the standards of each Department in the College
5. Preparing Students for Work Placements that encapsulates —— “What it means to operate as a Professional Person in the Work Environment —– Re—Conduct, Dress, Time Keeping, Attendance, Communication and engagement with Company Staff
7. Support Students as regards securing the most appropriate Work Placements
9. Liaise with Employers
11. Visit the Students in their Work Placements once or twice a Year
13. Ensure that Relevant Documentation is completed, collated and documented for processing as per needs of the College and the Chamber of Commerce (We need to get this documentation translated form German into English)
15. There is a great degree of freedom for the Teachers to Interpret the Syllabus to produce curriculum for the Trainees

 

Role and Responsibilities of the Student:-

 

Stages for Students entering the Dual System:

• Find an Employer
• Sign Contract that Employer will Register with Chamber of Commerce
• Provide evidence of Contract when Registering with College

 

 

1. In the context of the Dual System (4 Years) the Person is required to secure an Employer that will facilitate paid employment where he/she will spend Two Thirds of the Programme working with the Employer and One Third of the time in the College.
3. Students must achieve an Attendance Record of 70% for all Courses
5. As relates to non-Dual System Re —Full Time (4 Years) Programmes in the College the Students receive no payment and there is an Eight Weeks Work Placement to be completed in Third Year.

 

1. In relation to student completing Full Time Programmes in the College it is their responsibility to complete research regarding the most appropriate Company as relates to their Studies for their 8 Weeks Work Placement in Third Year —(Help will be provided where students are having difficulties finding an Employer)

 

1. All Students must Operate as a Professional Person while completing the Work Placement Re—Conduct, Dress, Time Keeping, Attendance, Communication and engagement with Company Staff
3. All Students must inform both the Employer and the College when ill or unable to attend for Work Placement experience.
5. All Students must Complete Records of their Work Placement
7. All Students must cooperate with the completion of Contract Documentation

 

 

1. All Students must be prepared to design and deliver a Presentation for their Teachers and fellow students as capturing their Experience during their Work Placement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Role and Responsibilities of the Employer:-

1. Attend two or three Meetings with the College each year

 

1. Cooperate with the Chamber of Commerce regarding the Contract between Company and Employee/Student that will also be stamped by the College

• (We need to have this Contract translated from German into the Languages of the Project Partners)

 

 

1. Implement the conditions of the Contract as agreed with the College.

 

1. Provide and Environment for the student where he or she can operate as a Professional person and engage with company staff
3. While the Work Placement might provide the Student with the opportunity to advance their knowledge and skills related to their chosen Career the prime focus of the Placement is one of personal development especially as relates to the Student participating in Full Time Courses

 

1. Where a student’s is regarded as unsatisfactory by a Company that student is not allowed to complete the Final Examinations
3. Companies that employ a large number of Trainees with a variety of Job Opportunities such as Telecomm—-The Selection Boards are seeking potential employees with attributes such as:
   1. Fairness, Honesty and Sincere Intentions, Demonstrating the Real Person, Being able to cooperate with Authority, Work in a Team, Be Confident, Have Good Communication Skills and Possess Soft Skills,
4. Team Players are rated more highly that Individual High Flyers
6. Where there is a variety of Jobs in a Company it is better to put the applicants through an interview process with a view to establishing one’s individual ability—-Companies use the technique of removing one person from Group Interviews for periods of 20 Minutes with a view to creating a disturbance that will require evaluating how the members of the Group will Respond such as determining what happened while the person was missing—-What did the individual miss??
8. Employers want trainees to demonstrate that they are independent and capable of organising themselves while showing an interest and reporting what they have achieved to date.
10. Theory in the College should match the Work Place.
12. Trainees can check online the content of the Work Modules in the context of what competencies are required.
13. (Relevant for Enhancing the Role of the Diagnostic Tool known as the Profiler in City of Dublin Education and Training Board)
14. Companies want to have good cooperation with the Schools and Colleges to ensure good situation for the Trainees
16. Training within the company includes Elements such as:                             Insisting on the use of Standard German Language (No Slang Words)
    1. Allocating a day where the Trainees speak a Foreign Language (English)
17. Using a Project to provide the opportunity for Team Work where Trainees have to work together and take responsibility for removing discrepancies with everybody having to deliver work on time.
19. Employers advertise for Trainees in the Papers and on the Internet where Aptitude Tests and Problem Solving Interviews are held.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Role and Responsibilities of the

Chamber of Commerce/Examining Body

1. Only dealing with Vocational Training
3. Overall Responsibility for Content and Delivery of the Interim and Final Examinations
5. Engaging with Companies and Trainees
7. Provision of Training for College Staff with Responsibility for Work Placements
9. Promoting the Concept of Professionalism
11. Prime Role to Guarantee Excellent Standards
13. Supporting Trainees to find positions with Employers where an Online Platform for Employers to Advertise positions
15. Information Day each Year for Technical Professions Re—Companies, Technology and Technical Professions
17. Providing Aptitude Tests that Trainers can use in the Training Companies
19. Providing an online Competence-Check of 90 Minutes Duration at Three Levels that Students can access.                                  
20. (Relevant for Enhancing the Role of the Diagnostic Tool known as the Profiler in City of Dublin Education and Training Board)

 

1. Registering the Training Contracts as agreed between the Companies and the Trainees
3. Addressing the Status Perception of Teachers in Lower Secondary Education where they are advising students to select the Academic Route as First Choice over and above the VET Sector

 

 

1. Addressing the Drop-Out Rate of 25% from the Universities                        
2. (Younger students require support where their Initial Choice was incorrect) 
3. 1.  
   2.  
4. Partnership between Education and Employers is regarded as having a Positive impact for the Students as follows:
5. Generating Motivation

 

• Providing Extra Curricular Expert Advice
• Provision of New Teaching Methodologies
• Exposure to Practical Based Economic Knowledge
• Influencing the Quality of Future Applicants
• Advancing the Body of Knowledge
• Reducing the Percentage of Drop-Out Students where there is a One to Four Months Probationary Period for the Students
• Addressing a New Phenomenon Re—Older people in the age group of 20 to 30 are Entering the Dual System Re–Finding an Employer, Signing a Contract and Enrolling in a College) having previously completed an Academic Programme/Degree

1. Providing a Website for Students, Parents, Teachers and Companies Re—Information relating to—-Experiments, Teaching Materials and Information about Co-operations as related to the Partners in Education