The role of learning and career guidance for managing mid-career transitions - comparing Germany and Denmark

In Germany and Denmark, the systems of further education and career guidance are well developed, offering a wide range of services and learning opportunities for targeted, specific and also general skills development. Based on an empirical study with mid-career individuals in both countries, the article investigates how the different systems support individuals to manage a career transition and develop their individual pathways. Mid-career transitions can be considered particularly challenging as they often reflect a more profound crisis and major concerns about future career opportunities. Constraints that prevent individuals in mid-career to fully benefit from the learning and guidance offers available can be identified in both countries. These range from the availability of programmes and accessing funding to getting the ‘right’ information. These constraints partly derive from adult education and guidance systems presupposing linear careers rather than disruptive trajectories and horizontal mobility

Policy Transfer in der Berufsbildung in Südkorea: die Gleichzeitigkeit von globalem Lehren und Lernen

Südkorea ist eines der Länder, welches erneut ein großes Interesse am Ausbau der Berufsbildung zeigt, während es gleichzeitig bereits als Berater für andere Länder bei der Weiterentwicklung des Berufsbildungssystems agiert. Der Beitrag schildert die regionalen und globalen Kontextbedingungen dieser Entwicklung und stellt dar, wie sich Südkorea vom Policy-Empfänger zum Policy-Geber entwickelt hat. Es werden derzeitige Entwicklungen, Kontroversen und künftige Herausforderungen dargelegt

Innovative Lernkultur in Unternehmen aus der Perspektive der Lernenden

Zunehmende Veränderungen in der Arbeitswelt, sich verändernde Berufe und damit einhergehende neue Kompetenzanforderungen bedingen Veränderungen in der betrieblichen Ausbildung. Im Hinblick auf die Steigerung der Innovationsfähigkeit eines Unternehmens werden unter anderem die Ausprägung von hoher Selbstständigkeit, verantwortungsvollem Handeln und hoher Anpassungsfähigkeit als auch kreatives Handeln besonders relevant. Wie Unternehmen mit ihren Ausbildungskonzepten auf diese Veränderungen reagieren, war die Ausgangsfrage einer qualitativen explorativen Studie bei einem großen Schweizer Telekommunikationsunternehmen. Interviews und zahlreiche Beobachtungen vor Ort geben Aufschluss über strukturelle Maßnahmen als auch über Werte, Einstellungen und Überzeugungen, die bei allen Akteuren bzgl. der Ausbildungsgestaltung bestehen. Letztere konstituieren eine spezifische Lernkultur, die nicht nur vom Aktionsrahmen der Unternehmung, sondern auch den besonderen Erfordernissen der Branche geprägt wird

Risk and the School-to-Work Transition in East Germany and the United States.

This study investigates how young adults in vocational education perceive risk in regard to their professional futures in East Germany and the United States. It analyzes students’ career aspirations and life plans in both countries and how they cope with uncertainties at the labor market. It further outlines underlying values, beliefs, and attitudes that guide young Americans and East Germans in their planning. Several theoretical frameworks ground this study and comprise the majority of the relevant literature. This cross-cultural comparative case study takes a mixed method approach using a concurrent triangulation design. The inquiry is framed by theories in the field of risk and cultural risk perception, school-to-work transition, vocational education and training, and welfare studies. In both countries, 129 students filled out a questionnaire. Additionally, narratives from nine focus groups and 29 biographical interviews were conducted. A three level analysis of the data was compiled that outlines the themes and categorizes them according to an individual, institutional, and macro-structural level of influence on risk perception in each country. Emerging premises on an individual level were choice, family and career planning concerns, geographical and occupational flexibility, further education and training, and agency. On the institutional level the influence of public career advisement institutions, teachers, parents, peers and friends was outlined. On the macro-structural level unemployment, political welfare reforms, the vocational education and training system were themes that have been of concern among the East German population. The dissertation also offers a comparative analysis of the data. This study reveals that young adults in East Germany are highly concerned about their occupational futures and tend to be pessimistic about current welfare reforms. They hold on to the idea of a standard biography and try to make strategic career plans. Their counterparts in the United States are highly optimistic about their futures, expressed little concern about labor market policies, but also appeared to be short term oriented in their life planning in order to remain flexible and mobile

Grollmann, Philipp (2005). Professionelle Realität von Berufspädagogen im internationalen Vergleich. Eine empirische Studie anhand ausgewählter Beispiele aus Dänemark, Deutschland und den USA. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann, 269 S.,35,00 €. [Rezension]

Rezension zu: Grollmann, Philipp (2005). Professionelle Realität von Berufspädagogen im internationalen Vergleich. Eine empirische Studie anhand ausgewählter Beispiele aus Dänemark, Deutschland und den USA

Die Policy-Praxis der Anderen. Policy-Transfer in der Bildungs- und Berufsbildungsforschung

In diesem Beitrag werden verschiedene Forschungsansätze und -perspektiven im Bereich Policy-Transfer in der (Berufs-)Bildung vorgestellt. Ein besonderer Fokus liegt dabei auf dem Policy-Transfer der bundesdeutschen Berufsbildungshilfe, der exemplarisch an den Ländern Ägypten, Korea und Malaysia illustriert wird. (DIPF/Orig.)In this article different scientific approaches and perspectives in the context of Policy-Transfer regarding vocational training are introduced. Thereby, specific focus concentrates on the Policy-Transfer of the nationwide German vocational training aid, which is illustrated by means of the countries Egypt, Korea and Malaysia. (DIPF/Orig.

Liv Mjelde: The magical properties of workshop learning. Bern: Lang 2006 (230 S.) [Rezension]

Rezension von: Liv Mjelde: The magical properties of workshop learning. Bern: Lang 2006 (230 S.; ISBN 3-03910-348-2; 44,90 EUR)

Recruiting Apprentices - The Experience of On-boarding Practices in the Swiss Public Transportation Sector

The professional socialization in a training company is a great challenge for young people. At the same time, they have to adapt to new organizational structures, integrate into a new workplace and competently master new tasks. Successful vocational socialization depends not only on the interests, abilities, and expectations of the young people but also on the company and its on-boarding practices. The aim of on-boarding measures is to help newcomers to get to know the company's structures and to facilitate their socialization into the culture of the company. Based on findings of an in-depth explorative case study within the public transportation sector in Switzerland, that included interviews with all stakeholders involved in apprenticeship training, the paper will address the practice of on-boarding in apprenticeship training and arrive at conclusions about innovative approaches

Refugee Integration in the Swiss and Italian Labour Markets: Challenges, Governance and Future Perspectives

At the beginning of 2019, Europe hosts more than 6 million refugees. There is a wide consensus that their integration into the labour market will determine the long-term impact of the recent inflow of migrants on the European economy, as well as the chances of social integration. Despite the differences in social contexts, labour market structures and support measures, the challenges involved in the labour market integration of refugees are relatively similar across countries. There is, then, space for mutual learning and cooperation. Many initiatives have already been taken and resources mobilized in most countries, at times without the necessary planning or knowledge to ensure their success. Sharing, analyzing, assessing and comparing policies and experiences can therefore be useful to increase knowledge of the factors impacting successful integration of refugees into the labor markets of different European countries. The article, after providing an overview of the contexts and challenges, will describe the main characteristics of labour integration measures for refugees in Switzerland and Italy. Method 1) we compare official data about number of refugees, countries of origin, age, education levels and qualifications in the two countries. 2) we analyze the challenges faced by the two countries, considering that Italy is a first-landing country and therefore has a very different set of challenges to address before labour market integration. 3) we describe the policies so far implemented by the two countries for the labour market integration of refugees, the types of structures and tasks. 4) we compare the two different contexts, the governance structures, the resources mobilized, the policies and the results so far obtained. 5) we highlight similarities and differences in the two approaches and in the results they obtained. Outcomes - Comparative context and policy analysis produces a thorough assessment of the factors impacting on the success/failure of policies for the integration of refugees in the Swiss and Italian labor markets and a set of policy recommendations useful for mutual learning and cooperation