dual system taiwan
The Dual System in Taiwan
Vocabulary
| 101 | state-run | skyscraper |
| thrive | precisely | pilot project |
| based on | underway | guidance |
| dual | vocation | combination |
| theory | theoretical | on-the-job |
| norm | feedback | experiment |
| agency | participate | landmark (2) |
| sponsor | escape | machine tools |
| crisis | graduate | inaugurate |
Video
Transcript
Taipei 101: the city’s landmark skyscraper and a symbol of Taiwan’s thriving economy.
Last year, the island’s economy grew by over 3%.
Most young people here have a university degree. And earn good money.
But precisely that is proving to be a problem for Taiwan’s economy — few want to work in the country’s factories.
Just an hour away by train is Taiwan’s third largest city, Taichung. Here a pilot project under German guidance is underway at a training center in the city.
It’s called “Train the Trainer”.
German instructors are giving vocational training to Taiwanese teachers.
Right now, the class is working on a mechatronics system: a combination of mechanics, electronics and computers.
The training is based on Germany’s dual vocational education and training system. Theoretical education is combined with on-the-job training.
Yu-Hong Zeng: “I think it’s very good because in Taiwan students don’t have many ideas for feedback. I feel this is very important.”
The German trainers use completely different teaching methods from the Taiwanese norm.
The instructor doesn’t simply teach from the front of the class, but uses experimentation, and class participation is part of the training.
And it’s all done in English.
It’s a landmark German-Taiwanese project sponsored by Siemens, the German Trade Office Taipei, and the state-run workforce development agency.
Raoul Kubitschek, German Trade Office Taipei: “After the financial crisis of 2009, there were requests from everywhere for our training system. It was one of the main reasons why Germany escaped the worst of the crisis.
Taiwan is technologically developed in the semiconductor industry as well as machine tool manufacturing. So we had several things in common.”
The training center was inaugurated in September 22nd 2014. Some 500 students are expected to graduate from the center every year.
Questions
1. Taiwan has a successful economy. True or false?
2. Does Taiwan have a problem or potential problem? If yes, what is their problem?
3. German instructors are training Taiwanese students. Is this correct or wrong?
4. What does mechatronics mean? What is the dual system? What is the dual vocational education and training system?
5. Is the German training method similar to or different from the Taiwanese method? If no, how are they different?
6. The language of instruction is German. Yes or no? Does the German government sponsor the training program?
7. What does the German Trade official say about the 2009 financial crisis?
A. What can you say about manufacturing and manufacturing jobs in your country? Do (young) people want to work in factories?
B. How do people train to be technicians and skilled workers?
C. Is the German dual educational system a good system? Should it be adopted elsewhere?
