Taipei, April 13 (CNA) An ambitious educational project embarked upon by the government and enterprises is looking to model itself on German craftsmanship and pave the way for new vocational training in Taiwan, a government agency said Thursday.
The Tai-Ger Vocational Training Project (TGVTP) , which is entering its third year, enjoys the cooperation of the Taishan Training Center -- a subsidiary of the Council of Labor Affairs -- the German Trade Office in Taipei and the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK).
The project, which covers senior vocational schools, two-year junior colleges and two-year technical colleges, requires participating students to work for three days and go to school for two days every week.
"Our objective is to change the traditional thinking on Taiwan's vocational education, which is sometimes referred as 'secondary education, ' and help produce more competent workers, " said Liao Wei-ren, research and development section chief of the TGVTP.
Students admitted to the project will receive a 50 percent subsidy on tuition from the government and their salaries are required to be not less than 50 percent of a full-time employee who works in the same position.
Graduates of the project will receive DIHK certification.
"This is a project with mutual benefit to the students and companies. Students get the on-the-job training while the companies provide a training ground for their potential employees of the future, " said Jim Chang, a senior manager of the Ruentex Group, whose company employs 22 project participants.
"These students are usually more mature, motivated and goal-oriented than those in four-year universities because they receive academic, vocational and human skill training at the same time. And they know what they want, " said Mark Chen, a professor at Nanya Institute of Technology. The school has 249 students under the project this year.
TGVTP, which was launched in 2003, will have its first graduation class of 206 students this summer. More than 1,000 students have been admitted to the project in the past three years.