Kompetenzz: data tools for vocational training and higher education (Germany)

Data foundation for education and securing a skilled workforce

The Kompetenzzentrum Technik-Diversity-Chancengleichheit e. V. (kompetenzz) provides figures on vocational training and higher education in Germany via its data tools. The tools are focused on STEM field areas, social care and health. The data tools also provide a good overview of the respective proportions of women in men in related professions and occupations and can be used to support the project planning, the further development of vocational training programmes or to help devise measures to tackle skills shortages

The tools are aimed at stakeholders in education policy and educational institutions, as well as employers, looking to analyse trends in vocational training and higher education via a more nuanced data set.

Data tools for vocational training and higher education

The ‘Vocational Training’ data tool combines school-based and in-company vocational training programmes in a single resource. This allows vocational training programmes to be compared with one another, regardless of the training system. It includes figures on the total number of apprentices, new entrants and graduates for Germany and the individual federal states. The data is generally available from the 2014/15 academic year onwards. It is based on data from the Federal Statistical Office drawn from various statistical surveys.

The Higher Education Data Tool contains data on first-year students, current students and graduates. For some categories, the available time series go back as far as 1973. The data are based on higher education data from the Federal Statistical Office.

Highlighting trends and differences

Both data tools enable analyses in the form of time series, rankings and maps. This allows users to examine trends over time as well as differences between apprenticeship occupations, fields of study or federal states.

The analyses can be filtered according to various criteria. In the field of vocational training, for example, filters can be applied by region, training status and type of training. For higher education, fields of study, region and time period, amongst other factors, can be selected.

Why is this a good practice?

The data tools bring together current and historical data, as well as nationwide and regional data on vocational training and higher education, and prepare this data for customised analyses. A key focus is on the proportions of women and men in STEM subjects as well as in health and social care.

By combining school-based and in-company vocational training within a single data tool, the data set has been expanded: vocational training programmes from both training systems can be compared directly with one another and thus examined across the entire training landscape.

The long-term time series, together with the ability to differentiate by region, educational sector and gender, provide a basis for tracking developments over extended periods and highlighting differences.

Further information

Access the data tools via here. 

The data tools are provided by the Competence Centre for Technology, Diversity and Equal Opportunities (kompetenzz). It is Germany’s largest network focusing on technology, diversity and equal opportunities. For over 25 years, the centre has been promoting equal opportunities for women and men nationwide and is committed to ensuring that diversity is practised as a principle of success in business, academia, public administration and society. The Competence Centre combines evidence-based expertise with a strong network and translates specialist knowledge into concrete measures. It is a member of the German National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition (National Alliance for Digital Skills in Work and Everyday Life).