Last month, I was very fortunate to be included in a study tour of the German dual-system of education and training led by Minister Kenney. He invited CFIB and several other provincial, business and union officials to look at Germany’s successes in vocational training and to determine if there are any lessons for Canada. 
To be fair, it would be difficult to bring much of Germany’s system to Canada. For one, it is based on centuries of the “guild” system, with careful control over hundreds of specific trades. In addition, Canadians would likely brace at the German approach to stream children as young as 11 or 12 into schools suited to their skill set.
However, after several days in Stuttgart, Dusseldorf and Berlin, it is clear there are several areas from which we can learn. For one, there is a deep reverence for a very broad number of skilled trades in Germany, where as many Canadians look down upon such positions. Canadian parents and educators need to understand trades positions can be terrific long-term careers for young people.
Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at Maybe it’s time Canada expands trades training for youth | Financial Post.
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