The report shows how vocational education and training can contribute to the implementation of climate adaptation measures by imparting vocational competences. It also demonstrates how these competences could be integrated into the vocational education and training system. The authors look at specific professional competencies in the sense of knowledge, abilities and skills. They differentiate between professional competencies, such as knowledge and practical or cognitive skills, and personal competencies, which include social competencies and the ability to work independently.

The focus is on the training occupations of roofer, environmental engineer for water supply and environmental engineer for wastewater management as well as the study occupation of landscape architect. The results show that climate adaptation competences – especially professional competencies – are already being taught in the selected occupations: For example, the curricula for initial and further training for roofers address extensive green roofs and those for environmental engineers for wastewater management address rainwater management. At the same time, the researchers identify further skills that should ideally be integrated into vocational education and training in the future. In order to implement complex adaptation measures, such as water-sensitive urban development, for example, personal competencies in the areas of communication skills, interdisciplinary cooperation and systemic thinking are necessary.

An overview of selected model projects for vocational education and training with a focus on urban areas shows that these predominantly address academic professions, while not sufficiently considering training occupations so far. It is also pointed out that it is important to consider the continuation of the projects at the very beginning and to address relevant stakeholders for this purpose.

A large number of different stakeholders are involved in shaping vocational education and training. The report shows how the project brought together climate adaptation and vocational training stakeholders in the form of expert workshops. The report concludes with recommendations and shows that the systematic integration of climate adaptation competencies into educational structures, combined with interdisciplinary approaches and stronger networking between stakeholders, is crucial for the transformation towards a climate resilient society.

View report (DE with English summary)