GATE – German Apprenticeship Training Exchange
With "GATE – German Apprenticeship Training Exchange," we support vocational schools that enter into exchange partnerships with US colleges.
Only around 5 percent of all trainees spend part of their training abroad – yet stays abroad not only improve language skills, but also promote personal development and career prospects. To give more trainees this opportunity, we support school partnerships between German vocational schools and US colleges through the GATE program. Like all those interested in trainee mobility, the schools receiving support also benefit from our large transatlantic network, which meets once a year for professional exchange. In this way, the program strengthens transatlantic relations in vocational education and the internationalization of vocational schools in the long term.
promotion
When establishing and launching a school partnership
With GATE, we support vocational school teachers in setting up school partnerships by providing start-up funding, helping them to network with potential partner schools, and contributing up to €5,000 towards the preparation of their school partnership. They can use the funds to visit their partner school and discuss their school partnership in person. Other potential partners (companies, chambers) can also be visited together with the partner college, for example.
After the initial contact has been made, applicants from vocational schools (support associations or school authorities) can apply for up to €10,000 in each of the first two years of the exchange program. Subsequently, further years can be funded with up to 50 percent of the costs (up to €5,000).
In the case of an existing school partnership
Your school partnership is already in place, most of the costs are covered, but you are still short of a small amount? The funding program subsidizes existing projects with shortfalls of up to €5,000 as part of grant financing.
application
Applications can generally be submitted by the school's booster club or the school's governing body. The prerequisite is that a partner university or college in the US has already been found and the intention to collaborate has been declared in writing. The project design must also have been provisionally agreed upon and calculated with the partner college. We require a long-term partnership and a well-thought-out project plan with a good professional fit.
GATE start-up funding (multi-year funding)
- Preparation phase: Applications can be submitted throughout the year (up to €5,000/year)
- Implementation phase: Applications must be submitted by April 30 and November 30 of each year (up to €10,000/year)
The link to the respective online form, including application documents for download, is available on request at gate(at)joachim-herz-stiftung(dot)de.
GATE grants
Grant funding for existing partnerships: Applications are accepted throughout the year (up to €5,000/year).
Information events
We offer annual information and networking events. If you would like to be informed about future events, please send us an email at gate(at)joachim-herz-stiftung.de.
Transatlantic networking events
Our "Transatlantic Networking Day" event series focuses on the topic of trainee mobility and exchange. The events offer participants the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with like-minded people from the field of vocational education and training in Germany and the US.
Our networking events are aimed at representatives of vocational training institutions, training companies, exchange organizations, ministries of education, chambers of commerce, as well as former participants in transatlantic exchanges (trainees or students) and anyone interested in deepening relations between Germany and the US.
Contact
Find partner schools
Are you looking for a partner college in the USA? We have compiled some tips for your search and for making contact. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about finding a college or transnational exchange.
We connect you with colleges in the USA!
Are you just starting out and interested in a transatlantic exchange program for your vocational school students? Our team is dedicated to connecting German vocational schools and American colleges for joint exchange programs and professional exchanges. Feel free to contact us.