Germany’s apprenticeship system originated in the Middle Ages, and became a major factor in the early industrial development of Europe during the 13th and 14th centuries. However, the industrial revolution and the technological advances which followed in its wake practically wiped out the craft-oriented apprenticeship system in most parts of Europe. In Germany, nonetheless, the apprenticeship system was transformed into its world-renowned dual system of vocational education. In this paper I trace the historical and social development of the German apprenticeship system, and also examine some of the challenges to be faced when one attempts to adopt it in another context. This study shows that while the traditional apprenticeship system was in a state of gradual decline, in contrast to the ethos of voluntarism on the rise in most parts of Europe, Germany adopted a social market economy characterized by centralized government control. At the same time, amidst the cooperation and competition of various stakeholders, the German apprenticeship system returned to the collectivism of the guild system, and thus managed to fend off the challenges posed by the growing free market. This study also shows that the apprenticeship system in Germany developed in accordance with its particular historical situation in terms of culture, government, and economics. It is argued that any attempt to adopt the German apprenticeship system elsewhere without taking this into account is unlikely to bring good results. © 2019, Department of Education, National Taiwan Normal University. All rights reserved.
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