Vocational School: Quo Vadis?

The question posed in this chapter is rightly being asked at a time when vocational schools must help decide which path they want to take in the future: that of further expanding school-based forms of initial and continuing vocational education and training or that of maintaining and strengthening the tradition of interweaving working and learning in dual vocational education and training. Only in the learning field concept does the possibility open up to realize the development of an overall vocational curriculum. According to this, in-company vocational education and training is challenged to design vocational education and training as learning in the work process on the basis of work tasks that contain learning and thus to take back the practical training in training workshops, laboratories, and specialist rooms that is widespread in industry. Vocational schools can play an important role as regional functionaries in their specialized differentiation. However, this is limited by two factors: (1) Contrary to the objective importance of VET schools as educational institutions and as regional innovation carriers, they still have pronounced image problems. (2) Vocational schools are largely excluded from the sponsorship of continuing vocational education and training, with the exception of technical colleges. The initiative of the federal states to further develop vocational schools into regional vocational training centers could turn out to be a decisive change of course if this initiative also covers the adaptation of the legal and institutional framework conditions.