New Media in German VET

For the acquisition of additional qualifications which are necessary in order to perform particular tasks at work, the companies offer special further training courses, or send selected employees to take part in such courses. For example, these may consist of manufacturer-provided training following the purchase of new plant and machinery, or courses on occupational health and safety, etc.

A third vital pillar of continuing education and training is continuous learning during the work process. Here, the summary of the field observation at DaimlerChrysler Gaggenau, in particular, shows how such learning processes are supported within the company⁵⁰.

All four of the selected case studies are unanimous in giving a clear priority to high quality, enterprise-based initial vocational training and continuous upgrading of their employees' skills in a context of ever-changing demands. (In no small part, this reflects the high level of acceptance and appreciation of the dual system of vocational training in these companies.)

Similarly, differing approaches to initial and continuing VET are seen at Ford in Cologne and at Audi. Ford Cologne uses electronic media in the form of sequential learning modules in particular phases of initial training, whereas Audi tries to operate its e-learning concept as a systematic policy and has already carried out specific campaigns with this in mind (the IT competence‐building initiative⁵³). The fact that Ford Cologne has not yet taken a similar route is partly due to its legal form and the way it finances vocational training. The training centre is a stand‐alone enterprise which is independent from the parent company. As a consequence, company management is somewhat distanced from training strategies and does not readily release sufficient resources for costly pilot projects. On the other hand, as the DaimlerChrysler case studies show, the attitudes of training staff obviously have an influence on how new media are used. The observations that took place on site made plain, in any event, that it would be wrong to conclude that initial training would necessarily be worse without the systematic use of new media.

To sum up the situation, two of the selected companies only use e-learning where relatively tried and tested media are available, whilst the other two see e-learning as a field for experimentation and integrate it closely into the development of corporate training policy.

The latter are developing new content and learning environments for e-earning.

In all the examples the use of new media is understood primarily as an organized form of learning. There are few signs as yet of provision or support of informal learning opportunities, e.g. open access to learning platforms, learning on forums and participating in online communities.

All four selected companies are users of e‐learning. However, not all companies in Germany are using e-learning, by any means. A survey

53 Cf. Audi case study, Annex 1.

conducted recently shows that the prevalence of e-learning varies in line with the size of establishments and their business sector.

Excursus: New media in enterprise ‐ based continuing VET – a survey of German enterprises

For this research, two questions on e-learning issues were included in a questionnaire for the 2003 IAB-Betriebspanel (Institute for Employment Research (IAB) Establishment Panel survey). This is an annual survey of a panel of German businesses, now numbering some 16,000 establishments of all sizes and across all sectors. One question aimed to find out whether establishments were making any use of PCs and the Internet for continuing VET purposes; the other sought to establish how this was being supported in practice. Since the IAB Establishment Panel survey yields a range of information on various aspects of business and employment policy, it is now possible to look at the use of e-learning in the context of other workplace factors. A selection of findings from this survey is presented in the following section. National totals – for all establishments in Germany with at least one employee subject to social insurance – were projected from the survey results.

Overall, a quarter of establishments stated that they supported the use of PCs and the Internet for training purposes. The proportion of companies in eastern Germany (29 %) is slightly higher than that in western Germany (24%).

Figure 3.1: Support for PC and Internet use for continuing VET, by establishment size

Source: IAB‐Betriebspanel 2003 in %.

The rate of PC and Internet use for training purposes rises significantly with establishment size: whilst only one in five workplaces with up to five employees reported any use of e-learning, as defined here, six out of ten establishments with 500 or more employees are already doing so (cf. Figure 3.1).

Figure 3.2: Support for PC and Internet use for continuing VET, by sector

Source: IAB‐Betriebspanel 2003, in %.

The prevalence of e-learning also varies between establishments in different sectors: the most active sectors prove to be 'Finance/Insurance' and 'Business Services'; participation is below average in the 'Agriculture and Forestry', 'Consumer Goods', 'Building' and 'Other Services' sectors (cf. Figure 3.2).

Viewing e-learning provision in relation to other features of the workplace, the following findings can be noted: establishments that are technologically innovative make more use of PCs and the Internet for continuing VET than those which are less innovative. This is particularly apparent when e-learning is considered in association with investment in information and communications technology (ICT). 41% of firms

investing in ICT reported that they were supporting e-learning, as opposed to only 18% of firms not investing in this area. A similar correlation can be identified between e-learning and more advanced technological facilities (as assessed and reported by the establishments themselves). Of the establishments that consider themselves equipped with state-of-the-art technology, 36% use PCs and the Internet for continuing VET. This is only true of 11% of the establishments equipped with less up-to-date technology.

Finally, the results of the IAB Establishment Panel survey also show a correlation between the use of e-learning and the involvement of establishments in initial vocational training. E-learning programs are more frequently offered by training establishments (35%) than by firms not providing any initial vocational training (21%) – either because they are not entitled to, or because they choose not to despite being qualified to do so.

Enquiring further into the ways in which workplaces use PCs and the Internet for continuing VET, the following picture emerges:⁵⁴ e-learning is most commonly delivered by giving access to self-study materials and learning platforms (on average 49%, in large enterprises 66%),⁵⁵ and by combining it with other modes of education and training (39%). In 12% of establishments surveyed (large enterprises:

25%) learning time agreements have been reached, either in works agreements or by informal arrangement between employees and their managers.

54 The following analysis refers to all establishments reporting PC and Internet use for continuing VET purposes.

55 Space does not permit more detailed analysis of this question.

Figure 3.3: Mode of support for PC and Internet use for continuing VET purposes, in western and eastern Germany

Source: IAB‐Betriebspanel 2003, in %.

Comparing the figures for eastern and western Germany, it is striking that more western than eastern establishments report that they support e-learning by providing self-study materials or access to learning platforms (western Germany: 51%, eastern Germany: 43%). This type of e-learning support also increases with the size of the enterprise.

Furthermore there are differences between establishments in different sectors: significantly more enterprises in the 'Finance/Insurance' (79%) and 'Transport and Communications' (64%) sectors are providing learning platforms and self-study material.