Dual vocational education and training (VET) in German-speaking countries is widely recognised as a highly successful model that combines formal education with workplace learning. While many countries without such a tradition have shown interest in adopting this model, its development has often been a slow process due to the complexity of dual systems. This study examines how key elements of the dual model—such as company readiness, school-based learning, formal legislation, governance, formalised knowledge, permeability, and funding—are implemented in the United States and South Korea. These two countries, neither of which has a long-standing tradition of dual VET, have been developing such systems over the past decade. The analysis highlights how stark differences in their education systems—highly centralised in South Korea versus decentralised in the United States—shape the development and operation of their dual systems, offering a compelling comparative case. Based on this analysis, the study provides recommendations for countries interested in establishing their own dual VET systems.