The researchers in the Research Unit Vocational Qualification and Skilled Workers analyse what contribution vocational education and training makes to the economy and society, and to what extent it succeeds in securing the supply of skilled workers for companies. The aim is to make vocational education and training future-oriented in order to better meet the requirements accompanying the transformation of the economy with structural change and ecological change, demographic development and internationalisation, as well as the increasing demands of the working environment that are associated with these developments.
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Vocational Education and Professionals
The focus is on the dual system of vocational education and training with its two learning venues: company and vocational school. The researchers are investigating how dual training can be further developed in order to make even better use of the potential of the next generation in vocational qualification. In addition, the thematic cluster will analyse trends in in-company continuing vocational training and digital education in order to identify ways in which lifelong and digital learning can be intensified. Since international skilled workers are becoming increasingly important in securing skilled labour, the thematic cluster analyses foreign vocational training systems and vocational qualifications and makes them available in a user-friendly form in order to enable users to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the new skilled labour immigration law. The thematic cluster analyses the skilled labour situation on the basis of the specially developed IW skilled labour database, surveys within the framework of the IW personnel panel and statistical evaluations as well as qualitative survey methods.
Workspaces
Contact Persons
![Annette Baczak Annette Baczak](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/0/csm_Baczak__Annette_6e1701c52d.jpg)
Annette Baczak
Project Assistant International VET Research
Tel: +49 221-4981-876 Mail: Baczak@iwkoeln.de Annette Baczak![Melanie Behrendt Melanie Behrendt](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/d/csm_Behrendt_Melanie_02_21255e4002.jpg)
Melanie Behrendt
Team Leader Human Resources and Communication at the Kompetenzzentrum Fachkräftesicherung and Network Q 4.0
Tel: +49 221 4981-702 Mail: behrendt@iwkoeln.de![Lucija Bozic Lucija Bozic](/fileadmin/_processed_/4/1/csm_Bozic_Lucija_FRLS0112_57f7e07019.jpg)
Lucija Bozic
Project Assistant International VET Research
Tel: +49 221-4981-847 Mail: bozic@iwkoeln.de![Alexander Burstedde Alexander Burstedde](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/a/csm_IW-Alexander_Burstedde_DPR1047_Roth-iwmedien-RET2f_44f6b85517.jpg)
Alexander Burstedde
Economist for Supply of skill needs
Tel: +49 221 4981-217 Mail: burstedde@iwkoeln.de Alexander Burstedde @ABurstedde![Annette Dietz Annette Dietz](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/1/csm_Dietz__Annette_02_a732cc3c58.jpg)
Annette Dietz
Senior Consultant for Human Resources Work
Tel: +49 221 4981-796 Mail: dietz@iwkoeln.de![Alissa Eschholz Alissa Eschholz](/fileadmin/_processed_/e/9/csm_Knobel__Alissa_02_8403ee0869.jpg)
Alissa Eschholz
Consultant for digital vocational training
Tel: +49 221 4981-538 Mail: eschholz@iwkoeln.de![Regina Flake Regina Flake](/fileadmin/_processed_/2/b/csm_Flake__Regina_02_ce9c217116.jpg)
Dr. Regina Flake
Senior Economist for Education and Training, Skilled Manpower Assurance and International Vocational Training Research and Team Leader KOFA
Tel: +49 221 4981-840 Mail: flake@iwkoeln.de![Donya Nielab Hamid Donya Nielab Hamid](/fileadmin/_processed_/e/c/csm_Hamid_Donya_Nielab_Foto_5088777bec.jpg)
Donya Nielab Hamid
Consultant for Communication and Marketing
Tel: +49 221 4981-467 Mail: hamid@iwkoeln.de![Helen Hickmann Helen Hickmann](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/d/csm_Hickmann__Helen_02_22a1b8dcf0.jpg)
Helen Hickmann
Economist at the Competence Center for Securing Skilled Employees KOFA
Tel: +49 221 4981-870 Mail: hickmann@iwkoeln.de Helen Hickmann![Susanne Jacobs Susanne Jacobs](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/8/csm_Jacobs_Susanne_FRLS7102_43dec517a4.jpg)
Susanne Jacobs
Consultant for digital vocational training
Tel: +49 221 4981-239 Mail: jacobs@iwkoeln.de Susanne Jacobs![Felicitas Kleinoth Felicitas Kleinoth](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/a/csm_Kleinoth_Felicitas_FRLS0204_c90ef80a50.jpg)
Felicitas Kleinoth
Project Manager for Digital and Print in the Competence Centre for Securing Skilled Workers
Tel: +49 221 4981-861 Mail: kleinoth@iwkoeln.de![Sabine Köhne-Finster Sabine Köhne-Finster](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/d/csm_k%C3%B6hne-finster.sabine-alt256x256__002__bd20b4752a.jpg)
Sabine Köhne-Finster
Economist at the Competence Center for Skilled Workforce Assurance (KOFA)
Tel: +49 221 4981-862 Mail: Koehne-Finster@iwkoeln.de Sabine Köhne-Finster![Markus Körbel Markus Körbel](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/9/csm_K%C3%B6rbel_Markus_1405_0001_ff612068c6.jpg)
Markus Körbel
Researcher for International Occupational Training Research
Tel: +49 221 4981-874 Mail: koerbel@iwkoeln.de![Louisa Marie Kürten Louisa Marie Kürten](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/9/csm_K%C3%BCrten__Louisa_01_cd9fee75c3.jpg)
Louisa Marie Kürten
Consultant for Innovation and Change
Tel: +49 221 4981-785 Mail: kuerten@iwkoeln.de @Louisa_Kuerten![Judith Lehr Judith Lehr](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/2/csm_Lehr_Judith_FRLS1148_61f9071160.jpg)
Judith Lehr
Consultant for personnel issues at the Competence Center for Skilled Workforce Development
Tel: +49 221 4981-855 Mail: judith.lehr@iwkoeln.de![Gesina Leininger Gesina Leininger](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/d/csm_Leininger_Gesina-DPRS2671_RET_Roth_IWM_c62b2cd974.jpg)
Gesina Leininger
Economist for International Occupational Training Research
Tel: +49 221 / 4981-325 Mail: leininger@iwkoeln.de![Lydia Malin Lydia Malin](/fileadmin/_processed_/5/9/csm_Malin_Dr.Lydia_e1d7eac9d8.jpg)
Dr. Lydia Malin
Researcher for Supply of skill needs
Tel: +49 221 4981-850 Mail: malin@iwkoeln.de Lydia Malin![Christoph Metzler Christoph Metzler](/fileadmin/_processed_/3/c/csm_Metzler_Christoph_DPR0684_Ret_e41be20e0b.jpg)
Dr. Christoph Metzler
Senior Economist for Vocational Training and Supply of skill needs
Tel: +49 221 4981-871 Mail: metzler@iwkoeln.de Christoph Metzler @TophAndre![Annett Michalski Annett Michalski](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/6/csm_Michalski_Annett_3_2021_5a3f8391e0.jpg)
Annett Michalski
Consultant for Communication and Marketing
Tel: +49 221 4981-509 Mail: Michalski@iwkoeln.de![Sarah Pierenkemper Sarah Pierenkemper](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/3/csm_Pierenkemper__Sarah_01_b8fd3aeeb8.jpg)
Sarah Pierenkemper
Senior Economist for Supply of skill needs
Tel: +49 221 4981-884 Mail: pierenkemper@iwkoeln.de Sarah Pierenkemper![Paula Risius Paula Risius](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/d/csm_IW-Paula_Risius_DPR1002_Roth-iwmedien-RET2f_99167eecd8.jpg)
Paula Risius
Researcher for Digital Education and Skilled Workforce Development
Tel: +49 221 4981-680 Mail: risius@iwkoeln.de![Juliane Rohner Juliane Rohner](/fileadmin/_processed_/b/d/csm_Rohner_Juliane_FRLS4365_57bdc2809d.jpg)
Juliane Rohner
Consultant for digital vocational training
Tel: +49 221 4981-627 Mail: rohner@iwkoeln.de![Olesia Schmetzer Olesia Schmetzer](/fileadmin/_processed_/3/6/csm_Schmetzer__Olesia_01_5ffe36ad88.jpg)
Olesia Schmetzer
Economist for International Occupational Training Research
Tel: +49 221 4981-709 Mail: schmetzer@iwkoeln.de![Martin Schmitt Martin Schmitt](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/c/csm_Schmitt_Martin_FRLS0165_7a6b1bffad.jpg)
Martin Schmitt
Consultant for digital vocational training
Tel: +49 221 4981-319 Mail: Schmitt@iwkoeln.de Martin Schmitt![Miriam Schöpp Miriam Schöpp](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/c/csm_Sch%C3%B6pp__Miriam_01_04fac7c9ef.jpg)
Miriam Schöpp
Researcher for the Project Kompetenzzentrum Fachkräftesicherung (KOFA)
Tel: +49 221 4981-545 Mail: schoepp@iwkoeln.de![Maren Schulte Maren Schulte](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/3/csm_Schulte_Maren_DPR0979_9c3818a67e.jpg)
Maren Schulte
Consultant for digital vocational training
Tel: +49 221 4981-342 Mail: schulte@iwkoeln.de![Fabian Semsarha Fabian Semsarha](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/b/csm_Semsarha-Fabian-Lichtbild_33d59d8305.jpg)
Fabian Semsarha
Consultant for skilled labor and personnel issues at the Center of Competence for Skilled Labor (KOFA)
Tel: +49 30 27877-137 Mail: semsarha@iwkoeln.de Fabian Semsarha![Sibylle Stippler Sibylle Stippler](/fileadmin/_processed_/5/e/csm_Stippler_Sibylle_FRLS2161_205efd331a.jpg)
Sibylle Stippler
Head of Vocational Education and Training Research Unit
Tel: +49 221 4981‑865 Mail: stippler@iwkoeln.de Sibylle Stippler @SibylleStippler![Nicole Sträfling Nicole Sträfling](/fileadmin/_processed_/c/2/csm_Straefling_Dr._Nicole_2022_FRLS3758_c7c9bd9126.jpg)
Dr. Nicole Sträfling
Consultant for digital vocational training
Tel: +49 221 4981-507 Mail: straefling@iwkoeln.de Nicole Sträfling![Irena Theuer Irena Theuer](/fileadmin/_processed_/4/0/csm_Theuer_Irena_FRLS7090_9b3ee94bb0.jpg)
Irena Theuer
Consultant for digital vocational training
Tel: +49 221 4981-868 Mail: theuer@iwkoeln.de![Jurek Tiedemann Jurek Tiedemann](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/f/csm_Tiedemann_Jurek_FRLS8707_026e012899.jpg)
Jurek Tiedemann
Economist in the Competence Center for Securing Skilled Labor (KOFA) project
Tel: +49 221 4981-419 Mail: tiedemann@iwkoeln.de![Dirk Werner Dirk Werner](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/e/csm_Werner__Dirk_01_9e4b1de1cc.jpg)
Dirk Werner
Head of Vocational Education and Training Research Unit
Tel: +49 221 4981-712 Mail: werner@iwkoeln.de Dirk Werner @DKW_follow![Luena Zifle Luena Zifle](/fileadmin/_processed_/0/3/csm_Zifle__Luena_Freisteller_19055702f7.jpg)
Luena Zifle
Economist for International Vocational Education Research
Tel: +49 221 4981-275 Mail: zifle@iwkoeln.deAll news
![Securing skilled workers through immigration to universities Securing skilled workers through immigration to universities](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/6/csm_IW-Report_Fachkr%C3%A4ftesicherung-durch-Zuwanderung_49e2471068.png)
Securing skilled workers through immigration to universities
Against the backdrop of demographic change, Germany is increasingly dependent on skilled labour from abroad to secure growth and prosperity.
Wido Geis-Thöne IW
![The Regional Distribution of Graduates in Germany The Regional Distribution of Graduates in Germany](/fileadmin/_processed_/e/7/csm_IW-Trends_2024-01-11_Geis-Th%C3%B6ne_4e82410948.png)
The Regional Distribution of Graduates in Germany
Graduates in Germany are distributed very unevenly across the country. Taking the population aged between 35 and 44, who have generally already completed their higher education, in 2019 the highest proportions of university graduates were to be found in Berlin and the Munich regional planning area.
Wido Geis-Thöne IW
![The Regional Distribution of Low-skilled Workers in Germany The Regional Distribution of Low-skilled Workers in Germany](/fileadmin/_processed_/8/5/csm_IW-Trends_2024-01-10-Geis-Th%C3%B6ne_8e8ee02354.png)
The Regional Distribution of Low-skilled Workers in Germany
Low-skilled workers in Germany are heavily concentrated in urban areas. In 2019, the proportion of 25- to 64-year-olds who had not completed at least two years of vocational training or higher education was almost twice as high in cities with a population of over 100,000 (20.8 per cent) as in small municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants (10.7 per cent).
Wido Geis-Thöne IW
![Parental contributions for childcare in a regional comparison Parental contributions for childcare in a regional comparison](/fileadmin/_processed_/0/e/csm_IW-Report_2024-Kitageb%C3%BChren-2023_13e85462df.png)
Parental contributions for childcare in a regional comparison
The federal states take very different approaches to organising parental participation in the costs of state and state-funded childcare.
Wido Geis-Thöne IW
![Teaching hours at elementary school country comparison Teaching hours at elementary school country comparison](/fileadmin/_processed_/4/c/csm_IW-Report_2024-Unterrichtsstunden-Grundschulen_b469e36991.png)
Teaching hours at elementary school country comparison
Young people's educational paths are very much predetermined during their primary school years. On the one hand, the basic skills of reading, writing and maths are acquired, and, on the other hand, the joint learning of all children ends with the transition to secondary level I.
Wido Geis-Thöne IW
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