Lessons Learned from International VET Study Tour: Insights from the Basque Country and Germany

In April 2024, seven U.S. community college faculty representing advanced technology programs were selected as Fellows for an EU Study Tour to the Basque Country and Germany to expand their knowledge of technical education and the adoption of new technologies in a global economy. Participants visited vocational schools and training centers, engaging with European Union (EU) faculty and industry trainers to discuss educational models, curricula, and teaching methods in Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs. Their observations and interaction with site hosts at companies including Festo, Siemens, and SMC, and specialty sites such as Tknika provided insights into advanced technology integration and evolving technician skill requirements and led to their identification of instructional and organizational practices that are potentially replicable in career and technical education (CTE) programs at their home institutions. The Results section provides descriptions of the U.S. faculty’s initial efforts at implementing strategies inspired by their observations and comparisons of CTE/VET models.