The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) launched its first AHK-VET Council, with representatives of different business sectors and VET authorities to certify vocational training in accordance with German standards.
“The VET Council is an essential instrument to certify vocational training according to German standards and is an initiative to contribute to the strengthening of demand and industry-driven Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Sri Lanka,” Chief Delegate of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka), Andreas Hergenröther, said. He added that it was the high standards of vocational training in Germany that contributed essentially to the high competitiveness of German companies. “VET Councils, as central platforms for the industry, are of utmost importance because they ensure a continuously demand-oriented development of dual vocational training.” He said.
Evidently, figures from Germany show that dual vocational education has been a key factor of success for economic development. The country has the largest national economy in Europe and the fourth-largest by nominal GDP in the world. Demand-driven, dual vocational training in Germany has conducted to the lowest youth unemployment rate in Europe.
Meanwhile, German Ambassador Jörn Rohde emphasised the need of cooperation in the field of dual vocational education instead of competing with each other. “Work has to be done from the industry for the industry by joining hands with all relevant parties involved,” he said. “The German system is a living organism because it is continuously adapting itself to the needs of the industry.”
Currently, AHK Sri Lanka certifies the three-year Automobile Mechatronics course offered by the DIMO Academy for Technical Skills (DATS). It envisions to extend these certifying activities which guarantee that German standards are kept in regard to quality assurance, transparency, and competitiveness.
The Delegations of German Industry and Commerce represent the interests of German businesses in their partner countries. One interest of a fruitful and sustainable bilateral cooperation is vocational education and training.
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