Tamil Nadu to roll out German dual vocational training model, unlocking global opportunities for students and boosting MSME sector

The Tamil Nadu government will introduce the German dual vocational training model, which will be a major boost for the MSME sector in the State.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) pertaining to the deal was signed between Guidance Tamil Nadu, the nodal agency instrumental in bringing investments into the State, and Next Mittelstand GmbH, Germany, in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. This is the first time the German Ausbildung model is being formally implemented at a State level in India.

This initiative will bring the Ausbildung model to Tamil Nadu’s youth, integrating on-the-job training with structured classroom instruction, in close collaboration with the State’s technical training institutions and the Directorate of Technical Education. Students will also complete a part of their course at German institutions.

In the first year, around 120 students will be covered by the initiative across four trades (30 students each). In 10 years, this will be scaled up to 23,000 - 25,000 students across centres and disciplines. At the end of the tenth year, the initiative will have the potential to provide employment opportunities to over 20,000 people.

“The launch of the first-of-its-kind Ausbildung German dual vocational training model in our State will enable our youth and the MSME ecosystem to be future-ready. This partnership with Next Mittelstand GmbH will give our students the rare opportunity to train to German standards while gaining practical, industry-ready skills that are globally recognised. This will also enable us to strengthen the industrial synergies we share with Germany in sectors such as automotive, EVs, electronics, and advanced manufacturing,” Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa said. “By blending classroom instruction with hands-on training and German language skills, this model is a perfect addition to the Dravidian model – inclusive, future-ready, and focused on creating equal opportunities for our youth,” he added.

Darez Ahamed, Managing Director and CEO of Guidance, said Tamil Nadu had a strong foundation in the MSME sector, and the initiative will greatly benefit it. Explaining how the initiative will be implemented, he said multiple stakeholders will be involved in rolling it out. It will be implemented by Next Mittelstand GmbH initially in collaboration with RIW Dienstleistungs-GmbH, Christiani GmbH & Co. KG, TecMed GmbH, Sülzle Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Der Mittelstand. BVMW e.V. and its Educational Alliance, and several other industry partners will be a part of the programme in the future.

The 3.5-year programme combines hands-on industry training with academic learning, mirroring the successful German model that has powered its globally competitive Mittelstand (SME) sector. It will also include German language instruction, and adopt internationally-recognised standards, enabling Tamil Nadu’s students to gain employment not only locally, but also across Germany and Europe.