Abstract

Over the last decade, training has gained in popularity as European unemployment remains stubbornly high. Critical voices accuse the British education and training system of not being sufficiently prepared to measure up against other European training systems, notably that of Germany. Training provision in Germany is widely assumed to be superior to that in this country, and is frequently held up as the model for an improved system of training for Britain. Offers an alternative view of the German system, concentrating on its rarely mentioned disadvantages with respect to both the provision of initial training and further education and training for the unemployed, especially the long-term unemployed. Though attractive and appealing in many ways, argues that the German model has been over-praised by British commentators. If there is a “training crisis” in Britain, the German approach is not the solution.