In that case, I will provide you with some basics on vocational training in Germany. Occupational training means we have a dual system whereby students are employed by companies and do part of their training in a vocational school. That's what we mean when we talk about dual training.
In Germany, this training has been given a great deal of priority. It doesn't have the same reputation as university training perhaps, but it has a lot more prestige here in Germany than it does compared to other countries where, if you don't go the university route, you're not viewed as having as good an education.
In Germany, as is the case in other German-speaking countries, such as Austria and Switzerland, this dual training goes back to the Middle Ages. We have a very long tradition here. The biggest challenge lately has been to adapt this training to technological changes or to meet industry requirements, and where we have technological needs, we need to develop new professions without necessarily turning back to the old traditions.
Up until now, we have been more or less successful in Germany, as is the case in Austria and Switzerland. There is very little unemployment among young people, and that's something that we feel is very positive, unlike the case in many other European countries. The demand for our occupational training is very high, both within and outside the European Union. That's why international cooperation plays a very important role in occupational training.
What I have understood is that in Canada, you have a very good occupational training program, you have very little youth unemployment, and you have a good level of training, so we're supposing that occupational training in Canada works very well and is very successful.
Those are my introductory remarks. I would now invite Ms. Verfürth to present the basics of vocational training in Germany.