A dual education system combines apprenticeships in a company and vocational education at a vocational school in one course. This system is practiced in several countries, notably Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Switzerland, but also Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Australia and Egypt, and for some years now in China and other countries in Asia. In the Duales Ausbildungssystem young German people can learn one of 356 (as of 2005) apprenticeship occupations (Ausbildungsberufe), such as Doctor's Assistant, Dispensing Optician or Oven Builder. The precise skills and theory taught are strictly regulated and defined by national standards: An Industriekaufmann (Industrial Manager) has always acquired the same skills and taken the same courses in production planning, accounting and controlling, marketing, HR management, trade laws, etc. Especially in southern Germany this model is also used for a special college system called Duale Hochschule. In France, dual education (formation en alternance) has gained a lot of popularity since the 1990s, with information technology being the greatest draw.

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