1. Mercator Berufskolleg (MBK) Kaufmännische Schulen Moers

2. Mercator Berufskolleg Moers: The departments
First department:
part-time co-operative vocational school (as one partner of the dual system) with approximately students in 13 different occupations (as for example in Banking, Retail, Insurance, Industry, Business Administration, Logistics or Health Care)
Second department:
full-time based classes (general vocational education before an apprenticeship or university) with approximately 900 students

3. Mercator Berufskolleg Moers: Partner in the dual system
Type 1: „Blockunterricht“
Type 2: „Teilzeitunterricht“
Five blocks of school during the whole apprenticeship of 2,5 years.
Two days a week the students learn at school.
Each block consists of six or seven weeks at school with 35 lessons a week.
At school the students are taught with up to 6 lessons a day.
During the other weeks the students work in their companies.
The other three days a week they work in their companies.
Example at MBK: „Bankkaufleute“
Example at MBK: „Einzelhandelskaufleute“
Students have working contracts with „Sparkasse am Niederrhein“, „Volksbank Niederrhein“ or „Targobank“ .
Students have working contracts with different local retailers like „Modehaus Braun“.

4. The objectives of the dual system
To provide young people with the basis for a successful career and thus contribute to their personal development.
To satisfy the demands of business for various skills and thus serve economic policy interests.
=> Dual system has to develop personal skills of young people as well as vocational abilities.

5. Realization of the dual system objectives
Schools give theoretical knowledge, whereas business enterprises in principal give practical know-how in the place of work.
Schools and firms compliment one another by working together on the same objectives to enable young people to become professional employees in their business.
Successful apprenticeship requieres a deeper cooperation and coordination between the two partners of the dual system.

6. How to manage coordination and cooperation
How to manage coordination and cooperation? (1): Government-given laws and plans (Berufsbildungsgesetz)
Schools have to respect “Learning plans”, where main contents and times for each discipline are given by the Ministry of Education (“Curriculum”).
Each learning plan consists of different learning fields (approximate number is 12) with concrete learning situations.
Firms have to work after a plan called “Ausbildungsrahmenplan”, that fixes the practical activities and times.
Based on the “Ausbildungsrahmenplan” each enterprise has to provide a separate “Ausbildungsplan” for each trainee (concrete operational plan).
“Abschlussprüfungen” (Common main examinations in the Chamber of Commerce): Juries with deputies of companies and schools organize the examinations and do the assessments.

7. How to manage coordination and cooperation
How to manage coordination and cooperation?(2): Additional coordination and cooperation
Ausbildertreffen”: Regular meetings between school staff and employers in each sub-department (occupation)
“Ausbildungsbörse”: Since more than 20 years MBK initiates the yearly apprenticeship bourse, where more nearly 100 local employers present their apprenticeship training positions.
“Short contact” by telephone or between teachers in school and trainers ore other responsible persons in enterprises
Special activities like project support (SOS-Kinderdorffest or common presentation for “Partnership for Young London”)