Chapter 3: Workforce Development in Germany: Systems, Structures, and Processes of the Dual System

Workforce development, defined here as the preparation of adolescents and young adults for entry into sub-baccalaureate career paths (Gray & Herr, 1997), plays a central role in a nation’s system of talent development. Effective workforce development systems ensure the adequate supply of qualified individuals to meet the labor demand of society; they safeguard the transmission of skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for organizational performance; and they provide for individual flourishing and wellbeing through productive and rewarding contributions in the labor market. In addition to its present-day outcomes, well-functioning workforce development provides the cognitive, behavioral, and motivational underpinnings for lifelong learning and personal growth, for organizational learning and innovation, for civic prosperity and satisfaction, and for societal performance in a competitive economic landscape.