The partnership between employers and unions manifests itself at federal level through cooperation in the main committee of the BIBB, at Land level in the competent ministry’s VET committee, and at regional level in the Chambers’ VET committees and examination committees. The VET committees are responsible for important tasks in the implementation and supervision of pre-vocational training, and of vocational training, further training and retraining . The social partners have responsibilities at four levels:

1. National level: participation in developing training programmes/standards, recommendations in all areas and aspects of VET.
2. Regional level:
   a) Land level – recommendations in all areas of VET in respect of coordination between school and enterprise;
   b) level of the competent bodies – advice, supervision of training provision in enterprises, implementation of examinations, award of qualifications.
3. Sectoral level: negotiations on provision of training places; collective agreements on
   remuneration of training.
4. Company level: planning and implementation of in-company training.

Source:  U. Hippach-Schneider, M. Krause, Chr.Woll, Vocational education and training in Germany - Short description, ed. Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training) Luxembourg 2007 (Panorama Series 138)