On behalf of  the Libyan General Peoples Committee for Manpower, Vocational Training and Employement a new project was started by VDI/VDE-IT in February 2007: Studying the Vocational Training Structures and Programmes in Libya (vocatrain). The VDI/VDE-IT-core-team is formed by Prof. Dr. Ernst-Andreas Hartmann, Dr. Regina Buhr and Dr. Wolfgang Domroese, who is the leader of the project.

Vocational training provides the backbone of qualifications needed for industry and commerce, and thus is of utmost importance for the development of each country. In Germany, there are various experiences and competences with respect to vocational training. In retrospect, this relates to the Federal Republic of Germany as well as to the former German Democratic Republic. The most distinctive feature of the German vocational system is its 'Dual Structure', i.e. a combination of a more theoretical school branch and a very practical branch of training within the companies. In Germany, young people in vocational training are employed as apprentices by industrial or public employers. These employers are responsible for the practical part of the training. In the employing companies and administrations, there are people qualified as instructors, providing this practical part of the training. Additionally, these young people attend vocational schools, usually for two days a week. But there are also other ways to organise learning time between company and school.

In Germany, VDI/VDE-IT has long-standing experiences on how training effects industrial productivity. For a country which is - in contrast to Libya - rather poor regarding natural resources, this approach, based on a well-trained workforce, has always been the core strategy to develop and sustain international competitiveness.

The aim of the vocatrain project is to evaluate the Libyan vocational training system as a whole as well as to have a closer look into specific programmes and training centres. In doing so, it will be possible to get a general picture of the system, and also some insight into the status and future challenges regarding the specific design of training programmes.

In addition, some Libyan training experts are going to be trained in the methodology of designing and implementing evaluations. This is to support the project team as well as to establish evaluation as a future strategy for the further development of the Libyan vocational training system.

The study is specifically designed to analyse the vocational training system. But beyond basic programmes, continuous training and life-long learning are also considered, as far as the vocational sector is concerned.

Dr. Wolfgang Domroese
project leader
Email: domroese@vdivde-it.de