Mijas Town Hall welcomed “with great interest” the visit from the Deutsches Wirtschaftsforum Andalusien (German Economic Forum in Andalusia), represented by its president, Fernando Frühbeck; the vice-president, Tomás Perez Benz; and the secretary, Carmen Soto. “The main purpose was to discuss the German Dual Vocational Training model, as explained by Malte Schmuck, academic director of FEDA Madrid German Business School”, stated the councillor for the Foreigners Department in Mijas, Mario Bravo (PP), who was present at the meeting alongside the mayoress of the municipality, Ana Mata (PP).

The German dual vocational training model is a system “that is widely established and boasts an employment rate of over 90 per cent”, added the councillor, noting that it is also being delivered in Spain through FEDA Madrid. “In Málaga, for example, the second cohort of the Hotel Management vocational course has just begun”, said the councillor.

Educational model

Established in 1969, it is the educational model chosen by over 60 per cent of young Germans and has become a success story due to the high rate of employment placement in participating companies (sometimes exceeding 90%), the councillor explained in a press release, adding that “there are many key differences compared to the model we are familiar with in Spain”. “The first is the direct involvement of companies, to the extent that responsibility ddoes not lie with regional departments or the ministry, but with the chambers of commerce, which are the bodies that award the qualification. This ensures a perfect alignment between the training on offer and the demands of the labour market”, added Bravo.

The councillor also noted that another distinguishing feature is the course workload, which is divided into 35 per cent theoretical content and 65 per cent practical work. Furthermore, companies are directly involved in designing the course content, and throughout the two-year training programme, students undertake internships in all departments of the companies, which facilitates their integration into the firm. In addition, companies assign mentors who support and engage with the students throughout this period, and the results are assessed by a committee independent of the training centre.

German model

“The economic model is also a key factor; it promotes public-private partnership and enables students not only to have free access to high-quality education, but also to receive a stipend and contribute to social security from day one. Thanks to this model, young people can access training regardless of their financial circumstances”, said Bravo.

“It is about shifting the culture from that of interns to that of apprentices. Efforts have also had to be made to clarify that the aim is not to create a workforce for abroad, but rather to provide high-quality qualifications so that they can develop their professional careers here in our region”, explained the councillor for Foreigners. 

“This project goes beyond simply organising a training programme: it involves forging a partnership between the Andalusian business community and the German business community in Spain. The German Chamber of Commerce in Spain, comprising more than 1,000 companies (many of which are global leaders in their sectors), is responsible for accrediting the qualifications, and its members form part of the management team at FEDA Madrid (Stihl, Siemens, Transfesa, Aerzen, etc.) alongside the German Embassy in Spain. It is therefore a unique opportunity for Mijas that we cannot let slip by”, concluded the councillor.

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