Abstract:

This article analyzes the discussions on the German dual apprenticeship model during the tripartite social dialogue held in Costa Rica between February 27 and September 1, 2017. This dialogue arena, moderated by the International Labour Organization, was attended by representatives of companies, trade unions, and the government. The analysis focuses on the social representations and intersubjective references specifically developed by state and parastatal actors on the characteristics and potentials of the German dual apprenticeship model to solve certain social problems in Costa Rica. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with state representatives who participated in the dialogue, as well as with parastatal representatives who were involved in the discussions on the topic. As a result, one of the main findings is that within the dynamics of political cooperation, the German dual apprenticeship model is treated as an “export/import” product capable of solving problems such as youth unemployment and poverty among young people. The reference to the German best practice model and to Germany as such is used to limit the adequate participation of actors and the understanding of social problems.

Keywords: Youth Employment; Technical and Vocational Education and Training; Education Policy; Costa Rica; Dual Apprenticeship