Further Qualification Courses (WqBi)
The Department for Further Qualification Courses (WqBi) brings together schools providing a vocational education. These types of schools offer young people the opportunity to acquire the intermediate secondary school leaving certificate (Mittlerer Abschluss) over two years or – if this has already been obtained – the entrance qualification to a university of applied sciences combined with an assistant’s training.
Another key feature of this department is the vocational grammar school where students acquire the general university entrance qualification (Abitur) and also obtain valuable knowledge about renewable energies.
The vocational school courses also entail working with the young people on their vocational orientation and, with the help of school social work, supporting them in coping with everyday life. As well as leading to qualifications, these training courses give young people time to grow up.
Vocational School I for Technology (Berufsfachschule I Technik)
Vocational School I for Technology is an alternative to starting vocational training straight away. Practical workshop sessions and theoretical lessons not only convey the basics for future occupations but also give students the opportunity to leave school after two years, having acquired the intermediate secondary school leaving certificate.
Vocational School III (Berufsfachschule III)
Architecture and engineering firms, as well as construction companies, have a constant need for employees who are well versed in the fields of both construction technology and electronic data processing (EDP). Construction assistants have a good knowledge of both areas. In construction technology, this means knowledge of topics such as building design, building materials, components and building structures and, in electronic data processing, knowledge of topics such as word processing, spreadsheets, technical drawing (AutoCAD), IT systems and network administration.
Technical College and one-year vocational college (einjährige Berufsoberschule)
The technical college offers courses leading to the university of applied sciences entrance qualification, which allows students to take a degree in any faculty of this type of institution. After completing their technical college studies, students can attend the one-year vocational college (einjährige Berufsoberschule). This leads to university admission in the students’ chosen subject area. University admission is restricted to that particular subject area if only one foreign language is taken. University admission is unrestricted with a second foreign language.
Vocational grammar school (berufliches Gymnasium) – renewable energies
The vocational grammar school (berufliches Gymnasium) – renewable energies – provides an education with job-related and general teaching content that meets the requirements for admission to a university degree or comparable vocational training (Abitur).
The vocational grammar school for renewable energies was built in 2010 at the BBZ Vocational Training Centre on the Kiel Canal. The main focus is on climate protection, energy building optimisation, wind energy, energy from biomass, solar energy generation and energy storage, all of which lays the foundation for careers across the whole of this sector because there ultimately has to be a rethink in the field of energy use. We need new energy concepts that focus on both energy saving and energy efficiency, along with the development of sustainable energies.
Specialist college (Fachschule)
Students who wish to gain further qualifications after completing their initial vocational training and who have gained some professional experience can develop their career at a specialist college (Fachschule). At the BBZ Vocational Training Centre on the Kiel Canal there are the specialist colleges for building technicians, farm managers or works managers in rural housekeeping or agriculture.
In the first year of the two-year vocational school for home economics in rural areas, students learn the basics of home economics in theory and practice. In the second year, they deepen this knowledge through practical work. They also learn the basics of leadership and company management through practical lessons and projects. They expand on their theoretical knowledge of business administration. They choose to focus on either nutrition and health or horticulture and marketing.
