The INCE(Instituto Nacional de Cooperación Educativa) is a national institute which carries out technical-vocational training.

The INCE has been working with German standards for 20 years. The national program of education according to the German “dual system” is the result of the cooperation with Germany. In order not to form a dead-end system, it was necessary to add a supplementary level of qualification - building up a countrywide training of industrial masters.

In 1997 I was charged with the leading task of the INCE – project in Caracas. My job was to develop a curriculum, to organising equipment for the seminars as well as recruiting and training teachers. 1997 a training campaign started with about 150 participants, in industrial mechanics and electro-technics. The participants acquired high qualification in a part-time study program that took 2 years. They subsequently worked in leading positions in the industry.

It is the industry in particular that shows some great interest in personnel of the kind because people with higher ambitions could become technical leaders in companies. For the participants themselves it was an alternative to technical studies at the university.

A check-up one year after finishing the program showed some astonishing results. Almost all of them had improved their incomes by more than 30%, they liked their jobs better than before because they had more responsibility, their future seemed secure, and even their families showed more stability.

This project demonstrates the importance of a continuing qualification program. The option of a continuing education is always part of the professional training. Most of the participants did not see any realistic chance to study in a university. The program was able to upvalue people’s experiences and to turn them into capable leading personnel. There was no dead-end in their careers.

The momentary political situation in Venezuela have destroyed much of the so successful project.