Vocational education and training in commerce, clerical trades and administration take place at 57 business colleges, five of which offer both technical and business programmes.

The programmes offer ample opportunities for specialization, e.g. clerical programmes may be specialized in administrative functions in private enterprises, public administration or certain other lines, and commercial courses may be specialized in retail or wholesale. Courses in computer system programming are also included in the educational programmes of business colleges. At advanced levels, job qualifications at middle management level may be achieved in for example sales, export and marketing.

Great importance is attached to the programmes being as realistic as possible. Interdisciplinary activities are given high priority. Independence, responsibility and co-operative abilities are trained and tested through major projects in autonomous teams. Case studies are also considered important activities at all levels - case studies based on actual problems in existing enterprises, for which students collect supplementary information and find possible solutions.


Business colleges offer education in three main categories: vocational education and training, commercial upper secondary education and short-cycle higher education programmes.

Vocational Education and Training Programmes
Five programmes are offered with 25 specialized lines. All programmes take four years.

All programmes provide job competence and also grant students admission to further studies at business colleges.

All programmes are based on the sandwich principle. Programmes alternate between periods at college and practical training with a salary in an enterprise.

All school leavers from the "Folkeskole" have free admission to education and training at business colleges. Students may choose between two types of programme:

1. Programmes of one or two years' duration at a business college, followed by practical training with a salary in an enterprise for the remaining part of the four-year programme. During the time of practical training, students attend college for a number of short periods. These periods have a total duration of seventeen weeks when the practical training period is three years, and a total duration of seven to fifteen weeks when the practical training period is two years.
2. Alternatively, students may enter into a training contract with an enterprise, and start practical training in an apprenticeship with a salary. During the second and third year of the apprenticeship, training is supplemented with three periods at a business college.
   

Students are assessed regularly during college-based periods, partly on the basis of their general participation, partly on the basis of examinations. All programmes are completed with an examination which is externally assessed. The colleges issue a standardized national certificate of education.


Education and training programmes at business colleges
All basic education and training programmes at business colleges have a duration of four years, and consist of college-based education and training combined with practical training in a work placement. There are two main types of education and training programme that students may choose between. In one type of programme, the students start by taking a one- or two-year course at the business college (HG). This is followed by practical training with a salary combined with short periods spent at college during the rest of the four-year education and training programme. In the other type of programme, the students start their education and training with practical training in a work placement, after which they continue with alternating periods at college and in a work placement.

BUSINESS COLLEGE IS JUST THE THING IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OPEN
»I like going to business college. The subjects are exciting and socially relevant, and the optional subjects are so varied that everyone has the chance to choose just what they're interested in. The college prepares you for the real world outside, and you learn to work independently and in groups with other people. But it's not just hard work. The college also arranges talks, excursions and parties,« says Christina Faber Andersen.

Commercial Upper Secondary Education (HHX)
In addition to vocational education and training programmes, business colleges offer school leavers from the "Folkeskole" an upper secondary education.

The three-year full-time programme leading to the HHX examination gives students access to further and higher education in general, but is mostly attended by students who want to enter commercial further and higher education. In addition, many students use the HHX programme as an introduction to one of the vocational education and training programmes offered at business colleges.

The disciplines of the programme include both general disciplines at upper secondary level and vocational disciplines such as economics, marketing and accountancy. Through optional disciplines, students are able to specialize according to their individual wishes.

Students at HHX always have the opportunity to change to vocational education and training or to general upper secondary education, in both cases merit is given for already completed HHX subjects and diciplines.

The only admission requirement to HHX is that the student is considered qualified for upper secondary education.

HHX GIVES A GOOD BASIS FOR FURTHER EDUCATION
»I think that HHX (commercial upper secondary education) gives a good basis for further education. We have many exciting and relevant disciplines, such as languages, culture, information technology, financing and international marketing - not just in theory but also in practice. During my stay at the business college I have been on study tours and exchange tours to France and Germany. In spite of the relatively short stays in these countries, I find that I learned an awful lot about them,« says Benjamin Nielsen.



Short-Cycle Higher Education Programmes
The business colleges' third main category of offers consists of a number of short-cycle higher business programmes. The programmes qualify for jobs with superior functions, including research and development in trade and industry.

To be admitted to these programmes, the students are required to have completed upper secondary education, or vocational education and training supplemented with skills at upper secondary level in relevant disciplines.

The programmes are either full-time college-based programmes (e.g. a two-year programme in market economy), or sandwich programmes alternating between college-based training and practical training in a work placement (e.g. two-year-long business academy courses).

The programmes give occupational competence and also the possibility of accreditation in higher education.

Additional Education Activities at Business Colleges
The Danish business colleges are commercial qualifying centres, which, in addition to youth education, offer a large number of courses and education programmes especially aimed at people in active employment:

• Long-term or short-term courses, the purpose of which is to requalify or improve the qualifications of adults for changed or new job functions.
  

The courses may be short-term courses (for people in active employment), or long-term courses for unemployed persons. Especially long-term qualifying courses for young unemployed persons aged 18-25 are given high priority.

• Education in the form of flexible courses built up in modules (open learning/flexible learning) aimed at adults wanting qualifying training.
  

The courses are taken during the spare time of the participants. Both elements of traditional full-time education and special part-time education are offered. Examples of the latter are diploma courses in middle management and in specialized business studies. These special part-time education courses are all completed with a state controlled examination.

These activities are financed by the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education, and by fees from participants or their employers.

Teachers at Business Colleges
The profile of the teachers at a business college comprises three categories according to the content and level of the education and training:
1) teachers having completed basic vocational education and training and having at least two years' job experience in the trade; 2) teachers having completed vocational education and training, followed by further theoretical education; 3) teachers having a theoretical background in the form of a degree from a teacher training college or a university-level degree.

Teachers with no training in teaching methodology must complete a post-graduate teacher training course of approximately 500 hours' duration, ending with a final qualifying examination. This should be completed within the first two years of employment.

WITH AN EYE TO OTHER COUNTRIES
Casper Buerlin, aged 26, has completed part-time courses that lead to the diploma in specialized business studies, and has now started the international line of the two-year market economist education and training programme. Says Casper; »My plan is to get a job that is connected with the international scene, and I would like to go abroad.« Casper is considering supplementing his current studies with a year in London, where his business college has good contacts with local institutions of education - and where he would be able to take an English bachelor's degree.