Description:

By the implementation of a new system of professional development in the IT sector in 2002, Germany maintained its traditional way of organizing initial vocational education on a more advanced level and linking it to international standards. That created transparency on the labour market and, with the help of certificates, makes qualifications comparable. The connection to European and international education standards is legislated by a Credit Point scheme (ECTS/ECVET) which reflects vocational competences and is supposed to serve as an entry to the general system of higher education - particularly to universities. Vocational education on the level of "Operative IT-Professionals" could then lead to Bachelor degrees.In theory it is true that the flexibility of the system principally allows the development of advancement and new career paths as a systematic continuation of vocational education above and beyond initial training. But in reality, the recognition of vocationally acquired competences for access to the general educational system still remains questionable. Germany is currently developing instruments for comparing vocational and general education by introducing a credit point model based on the European credit point system (ECTS).This presentation is based on a research project which focuses on two aspects: the process of qualifying IT-Professionals in SMEs (small and medium enterprises) (1) and the possibility to get access to the system of higher education in order to earn a Bachelor degree (2). For the qualification level of IT-Professionals the German law stipulates that trainees must pass an examination at the Chambers of Commerce to certify their vocational qualifications (in accordance with the Vocational Training Act). With that certificate, however, Professionals are not yet eligible to enter into university studies. The primary research question of our project is to look for possibilities of crediting vocational education in a similar manner as seminars at university level. The permeability between general and vocational education paths has been a political target for many years but the implementation has to be investigated by empirical studies.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:

As there are no studies dealing with this topic yet, the methodological approach could be characterized as explorative. The respective research instruments used are oscillating between standardized questionnaires, secondary analyses and expert-interviews. A comparison of curricular topics between IT-further education and university study courses will be made as well.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:

One of the main research results will be that we get detailed information about the concrete possibility get allowance to academic study courses or examinations by further education for the group of IT-Professionals. We can find out how many credit points they collect within their advanced vocational training. And we can initiate a cooperation with an university which gives the Professionals the opportunity to join a further education program on Bachelor level.

References:

• Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB): Durchlässigkeit von Bildungswegen, Schwerpunktheft der Zeitschrift "Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis" (BWP), 6/2004, 33. Jg., Bielefeld
• Hannken-Illjes, K./Lischka, I.: Ansätze zur Systematisierung von Lernleistungen im Rahmen eines Credit-Systems und Lebenslangen Lernens, unter Berücksichtigung der europäischen Perspektive, in: Stamm-Riemer, I. (Hrsg.) (2004): Lebenslanges Lernen. Zur Verknüpfung akademischer und beruflicher Bildung, Berlin 2004, S. 173-264
• Meyer, Rita: Theorieentwicklung und Praxisgestaltung in der beruflichen Bildung - Berufsbildungsforschung am Beispiel des IT-Weiterbildungssystems, Bertelsmann Verlag, Bielefeld 2006(ISBN 3-7639-3428-8)
• Meyer, Rita: Das Projekt ITAQU - Arbeitsbezogene Qualifizierung im IT-Weiterbildungssystem durch Vernetzung von Klein- und Mittelbetrieben", in: Meyer/Dehnbostel/Harder/Schröder (Hrsg.): Kompetenzen entwickeln und moderne Weiterbildungsstrukturen gestalten. Schwerpunkt: IT-Weiterbildung, Waxmann, Münster/New York 2004, S. 155-166 (gemeinsam mit P. Dehnbostel und D. Harder)
• Meyer, Rita: Begleitforschung und Evaluation als Beitrag zur innovativen Gestaltung betrieblicher Weiterbildung, in: Meyer/Dehnbostel/Harder/Schröder (Hrsg.): Kompetenzen entwickeln und moderne Weiterbildungsstrukturen gestalten. Schwerpunkt: IT-Weiterbildung, Waxmann, Münster/ New York 2004, S. 167-178
• Meyer, Rita: Entwicklungstendenzen der Beruflichkeit - neue Befunde aus der industriesoziologischen Forschung. Ko-Referat zu Martin Baethge auf dem 14. Kongress der DGFE am 23.3.2004 in Zürich, in: Zeitschrift für Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik, 100. Band, Heft 3/2004, S. 348-354 Vespermann, Per: Zertifikat und System. Eine mehrstufige empirische Exploration im IT-Weiterbildungsbereich. Münster/New York/München/Berlin 2005.
• Vespermann, Per: Die Bedeutung zertifikatsgestützter Systematisierungsstrategien in der beruflichen Weiterbildung für die Kompetenzentwicklung. In: Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik - Online 8/2005