Within the dual training concept of TVET, offering internships or even entire apprenticeships promotes the acquisition of practical knowledge by students so that they are work-ready when they complete their training. Internships and apprenticeships are therefore a viable option for integrating work-based training into trainees' educational plans. In the workplace, trainees grow into a company and a work culture - with mostly positively evaluated effects on motivation and socialization.

Despite the positive outcomes for trainees, the question of additional costs and compensation arises for companies. Initially, training students in their company requires additional budgets and other resources such as supervisors for the students. However, as mentioned in the Benefits section, these initial costs are quickly covered by the trainees' increased productivity. Consequently, the training of trainees in your company should be evaluated as a value-added measure for long-term success and an adequate supply of skilled labor. Please keep in mind that trainees are not a source of cheap labor exploitation and should be treated appropriately.

A high-quality school infrastructure includes both the material and the personnel aspects. On the one hand, this refers to the technological equipment needed for practical training (e.g. production and information technologies), and on the other hand to teaching materials that support learning (e.g. textbooks, practical assignments). In most cases, however, schools do not have the financial resources to have the respective modern technology at their disposal, which is why the business community can help provide modern equipment and practice-oriented teaching materials.

In general, the provision of equipment and teaching materials to schools can be described as the simplest, but also the most costly, form of school partnership formation. Although equipping schools can be cost-intensive initially, companies benefit in return from better-qualified graduates, as they already learn how to use company-specific technologies or work processes during their school-based education.

One key objective of TVET lies in designing examinations and awarded certificates that have a high level of significance. To achieve this objective, care must be taken to ensure that examinations test the competences relevant to practice.

The business community can help to strengthen this significance and provide support in various tasks related to exam design: in task development, in the testing of practical training sections, in the evaluation of exams, or in other areas. To this end, companies can cooperate with the state to agree on jointly coordinated examinations, which are then conducted by the school or a non-company institution (e.g. chambers). In addition, company examinations or work recognition for learners in the form of reports or certificates are also possible.

The quality of a training system depends essentially on the competence, motivation and commitment of those who implement it on a daily basis in a teaching or management role. Therefore, the qualification of teaching and training staff is of great importance for the creation of a high-quality TVET system. This applies to both school-based and work-based training. While many teachers at schools lack practical experience in the respective occupational field, in-company training personnel often lack the methodological skills to teach students.

Here, the private sector can help to overcome this challenge by becoming proactively involved in the training of teaching staff. For school-based teachers, companies can offer hands-on experience by creating opportunities for short-term work placements or company visits. This could lead to an indirect quality effect for trainees, as teachers' practical experience impacts their hands-on training in schools. In the case of company-based training personnel, companies can invest in their qualification. In addition to a clear distinction in their job profiles, internal trainers can be formally qualified as certified in-company trainers, as described in the section of in-company training. Consequently, companies benefit from better qualified training staff, which leads to higher productivity of their more effectively trained workforce.

Of key importance to the success of the dual training approach is the alignment of practical and theoretical learning. Another way in which companies can influence better-trained graduates is therefore through the joint development of curricula and corresponding skill standards with TVET schools. By creating curricula that take into account their specific skill requirements, companies can benefit from specific training programs at schools that precisely match their desired criteria. When recruiting students from programs they develop themselves, companies can therefore be assured of an adequately trained workforce for their current and future needs.

In order to implement such co-designed curricula with schools, companies must be highly committed to their TVET agenda. Otherwise, the collaborating schools might not have enough students to train in their facilities and would be more reluctant to enter into such intensive partnerships.

The most costly and time-consuming form of school partnerships is the establishment of company-owned training centers for TVET. When companies invest in such training infrastructure, they must make a strong commitment to long-term skills development. Otherwise, the allocated costs and resources will not pay off. 

On the other hand, a company-owned training facility offers companies the greatest flexibility in training outcomes. They can respond quickly to industry trends and adapt their workforce to the new skills required. Especially in times of crisis prevention as well as the still advancing digitalization, this factor represents a decisive competitive advantage in order to maintain the position as market or industry leader.