Key competences in Vocational Education and Training GERMANY

In dual vocational education and training (VET), the term ‘vocational action competence’ (berufliche Handlungskompetenz) is used. According to Vocational Training Act ‘VET must deliver the vocational skills, knowledge and competences (vocational action competence) needed for the performance of an occupational activity in a changing work environment, and do this as part of an organised training course. It must also facilitate the acquisition of the necessary vocational experience’ (Section 1 (3) BBiG). Vocational action competence (berufliche Handlungskompetenz) can be interpreted as ‘empowering the individual to undertake independent and wide-ranging vocational activities in a variety of contexts’ (Frank and Schreiber, 2006).