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Brief description of Carl-Reuther-Berufskolleg in Hennef

Profile

As a vocational college the Carl-Reuther-Berufskolleg in Hennef (www.bk-hennef.de) teaches around 2,400 students in more than 50 curricular areas. Our teaching staff consists of approximately 100 persons. Founded more than 120 years ago by Carl Reuther, an industrialist in Hennef whose aim was to offer vocational training to his apprentices our college has a long tradition of promoting vocational education, with special focus on combining theoretical and practical training. We put emphasis on career guidance, initial vocational training and further education in the following areas: electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, information and telecommunication technologies (ICT), civil engineering, carpentry, wood engineering, painting and decorating, interior design, as well as catering and domestic science.

In the initial vocational training, the Carl-Reuther-Berufskolleg in Hennef works in partnership with the local trade and industry, and supplements the in-company training by providing education in order to meet vocational training needs.

The fundamental element within German vocational education is the cooperation with companies offering apprenticeships. In this successful system of dual training our part is to provide the theoretical background as well as general knowledge which allow students to reach a higher level of education.

Further education in the vocational college and technical college offers the graduates access to academic education and to the qualification of certified engineer.


Location

The town of Hennef has about 48,000 inhabitants and is situated in the Rhein-Sieg County which has a population of 600,000. Thus, it is one of the most populated counties in Germany, with both urban and rural areas.

Hennef is one of the county’s 19 towns and offers an excellent connection to the motorway and railway network. The distance to the Cologne/Bonn airport is only 25 kilometres. The region offers great opportunities for leisure activities. Excursions to Cologne, Bonn (the former capital of Germany) and Siegburg with cultural attractions are just a few examples of popular places to visit. The area allows for sports activities of various kinds such as canoeing and hiking. Due to the prospering economy it is possible to organize placements for students from abroad to gain working experience in a foreign country.


European cooperation

Since 2006 we have been participating in projects promoted by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme. It enables organisations in the vocational education sector to work with partners from across Europe, exchange best practices, and increase expertise. Its aim is to make vocational education more attractive to young people and, by helping people to gain new skills, knowledge and qualifications, the programme also boosts the overall competitiveness of the European labour market.

In cooperation with our partner colleges in Denmark, Finland, Italy, Spain, Hungary and the United Kingdom our students travelled to share work experience with apprentices in these countries. Many of them had the opportunity to expand their skills during a placement or training at college.