Editorial

Economic growth has a central precondition: Companies must be able to employ the right experts. Yet such specialists don't just grow on trees, they must be trained.

In this regard, Germany's dual vocational training system has three main strengths and they are the envy of many a developing country: it is demand-oriented, competence-based and - due to the fact that the chamber-run training centres offer standardised training of a consistently high quality countrywide.

How can we exploit the potential of our vocational training system to improve its equivalents  in our partner countries?
The first step has been taken: The political powers have decided to once again make vocational education and training a part of development cooperation (DC).

The second step, which is basically still to follow, is cooperation with the private sector. I believe we need much more commitment and participation from that end when it comes to DC-related vocational training projects.

We will give you several examples for the incipient involvement of the private sector in this field in the present sequaForum edition. We are aware, however, that many more players will need to be engaged and many more aspects to be considered for a comprehensive treatment of this issue.

Gebhard Weiss, Managing Director