Why "Abiturienten" Do an Apprenticeship before Going to University: The Role of "Double Qualifications" in Germany

Autor/in	Pilz, Matthias
Titel	Why "Abiturienten" Do an Apprenticeship before Going to University: The Role of "Double Qualifications" in Germany
Quelle	In: Oxford Review of Education, 35 (2009) 2, S.187-204 (18 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0305-4985
Schlagwörter	Higher Education; Qualifications; Apprenticeships; Young Adults; Foreign Countries; Dual Enrollment; Educational Methods; Educational Practices; Transitional Programs; Performance Factors; Educational Policy; Policy Analysis; Student Educational Objectives; Attribution Theory; Germany + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Qualifikation; Qualifikationsstufe; Apprenticeship; Lehre; Young adult; Junger Erwachsener; Ausland; Doppelstudium; Educational method; Erziehungsmethode; Bildungspraxis; Leistungsindikator; Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Politikfeldanalyse; Deutschland
Abstract	In Germany, a remarkable number of young people leave school with the qualification required for entrance to higher education ("Abitur") but do not actually go on to university. Instead, these young people--known in German as "Abiturienten"--start an apprenticeship within what is known in Germany as the "Dual-System". Indeed, the numbers of "Abiturienten" with both an apprenticeship qualification and a university degree have grown considerably and now make up a significant minority of school-leavers. From an international perspective in particular, this pathway through the education system is puzzling: why would someone with the qualifications to go on to higher education decide to acquire what the Germans call a "Doppel-Qualifikation", or "double qualification"? This paper explains the transition process from secondary education to the apprenticeship system and higher education. It also tentatively identifies factors that may account for the motives of these particular school-leavers: for instance, "Abiturienten" undertaking an apprenticeship may rather be more risk-averse than other, less academically able, students. In such cases, an apprenticeship provides practical experience and allows students to keep their options open. Moreover, by comparison with a number of other countries, the apprenticeship system in Germany is held in high esteem. Finally, the paper discusses some of the weaknesses of the "Dual-System" and their implications for trainees with the "Abitur". (Contains 3 figures and 6 notes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10