Holger Weber
Trainer, Author and Speaker
What Drives Me
For me, vocational education is about much more than teaching professional knowledge. Young people should gain orientation, learn to take responsibility and develop the skills they need to navigate a changing world of work.
This also requires trainers, workplace instructors and organisations that understand young people, support learning processes effectively and know when to provide guidance – and when to step back and encourage independence.
This is exactly where my work has focused since 2004: directly with apprentices and young professionals, as well as with the people who train, guide and support them.
Profile
- Qualified wholesale and foreign trade professional, certified business specialist and trainer under the German AEVO regulations
- Self-employed in vocational education and professional development since 2004
- Several hundred workshops delivered for apprentices, involving several thousand participants
- Many years of experience as an examiner for the German trainer aptitude qualification at several chambers
- More than 2,000 participants prepared for the German trainer aptitude examination
- Author of various publications and practical learning formats on vocational education and professional development
Vocational Education from Both Perspectives
Good vocational education cannot be developed through models and textbooks alone. It requires an understanding of both sides of the training relationship.
Since 2004, I have therefore worked both with apprentices and with trainers, workplace instructors and organisations responsible for vocational education. This allows me to understand the expectations of companies and institutions as well as the questions, uncertainties and perspectives of young people.
This connection shapes all my workshops and training programmes. Many topics arise from real situations that I encounter in companies, workshops, courses and professional conversations. As a result, my experience continues to grow with every group and every new project.
My workshops and training programmes have been delivered across a wide range of sectors, including industry, retail, services, banking, logistics, IT, skilled trades, public administration, chambers, educational institutions and social organisations.
Train-the-Trainer Programme in China
In 2019, I delivered a train-the-trainer programme in China. The project was inspired by interest in the German vocational education system and in the question of which elements can help ensure the long-term quality of workplace-based training.
The programme was not limited to intercultural exchange. Its central purpose was the practical qualification of trainers based on principles of the German vocational training model.
Topics included the planning and organisation of training, the design of learning processes, the guidance and support of apprentices and the role of trainers in everyday workplace practice.
This experience demonstrated once again the international interest in the German vocational education system – and the important role that well-qualified trainers play in ensuring the quality of workplace learning.
At the same time, it strengthened my interest in international exchange and in exploring how proven approaches can be adapted to different educational, cultural and economic contexts.
Learning Across Borders
Vocational education systems differ from country to country, but many of their challenges are similar: preparing young people for change, supporting companies in developing future skills and strengthening the people who guide learning in the workplace.
I am interested in exchanging perspectives, learning from different systems and developing practical solutions together with companies, chambers, associations, educational institutions and public organisations.
My professional experience in Germany, my project experience in China and my growing connection with Albania provide a strong foundation for international cooperation in vocational education, trainer development and the transition of young people into working life.
Let’s Connect
Would you like to discuss a workshop, a keynote, a train-the-trainer programme or a possible international cooperation project?
I look forward to learning more about your organisation, your objectives and the challenges you would like to address.