Research Center for Waldorf Work Education and Vocational Training

Research Center for Waldorf Work Education and Vocational Training

Waldorf Vocational College Competence Center

The educational value of practical action and work is deeply rooted in the founding impulse of the Waldorf school. Working as something done for others and with others offers a central learning opportunity for young people in their individual and social development of selfhood.

Practical learning and vocational education are understood here as part of a new, dynamic concept of education: in the development of adolescents, competencies should be fostered that are essential for their personal, social, and economic well-being. Young people should be prepared for the modern world of life and work and thus enabled to actively shape their own biographies as responsible individuals.

The research center supports schools in effectively and dynamically shaping pedagogical and organizational processes related to learning through work and practical activity.

It offers:

• Information, advice, and networking support on questions of work education and vocational pedagogy
• Advice and support in developing new concepts for integrating general and vocational education
• Support in founding and accompanying Waldorf vocational colleges
• Academic continuing education for teachers, trainers, internship supervisors, and work and vocational educators
• Basic research on Waldorf work education and vocational training

Contact

Prof. Dr. Wilfried Gabriel (Alanus University Alfter)
wilfried.gabriel@alanus.edu

Project Team

Jost Buschmeyer (GAB Munich)
Dette Dargatz (GAB Munich)
Klaus-Peter Freitag (AGiD, Federation of Independent Waldorf Schools)
Hans Hutzel (Federation of Independent Waldorf Schools)
Tillman Kieser (Hiberniaschule Herne)
Florian Martens (GAB Munich)
Nico Schrode (GAB Munich)
Felix Springorum (Waldorf Institute Witten Annen)

Background

A number of Waldorf schools have expanded practical learning in the lower and middle school years through a wide range of offerings beyond school internships into vocational qualification at upper school level. Some Waldorf schools have designed their educational programs in such a way that they can provide dual qualifications by combining general education with recognized vocational qualifications, serving as practical study and career orientation and a secure entry into an ever-changing world of work.

Together with the Research Center for Waldorf Work Education/Vocational Training at Alanus University, Alfter, the Federation of Independent Waldorf Schools launched and has since completed a project entitled “Being able to act – work education. Learning through work – working through learning.” This has given rise to a diverse field of work and a network.

The Waldorf Vocational College is a new development within Waldorf upper school and leads to the general entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences in combination with a basic vocational qualification in various occupational fields. The Waldorf Vocational College combines workplace practice and vocational qualification with creative and theoretical learning to form a new kind of personal development.

In this way, the Waldorf school educational pathway elevates the polarity of learning and working to the level of a pedagogically guided “dual system” of “learning through work – working through learning.”

Activities and Projects (Selection)

Current

• In 2025, several projects were at the forefront, e.g.: continued work on the “practical graduation portfolio” project for Waldorf schools, for example presentation at the general assembly of the Federation of Independent Waldorf Schools on 14 Nov 2025
• Support and evaluation of the “Inclusive Building Period” at the Waldorf Institute Witten Annen, Sept. 2025
• Expansion of international cooperation: visit and project planning with a Hungarian delegation on 4/5 Nov. 2025 in Witten Annen for the establishment of a vocational education center in Budapest
• 18 Dec. 2024 awarding of a certificate recognizing job-related qualifications from the vocational foundation year (BGJ Saxony) for the Neue Waldorfschule Dresden (grades 7–12). The certificate was awarded jointly with the Federation of Independent Waldorf Schools as part of the project “Craft Portfolio at Waldorf Schools.”
• 13 Nov. 2024 Parliamentary Breakfast in the NRW state parliament, Düsseldorf: presentation of the graduation portfolio at Waldorf schools” (preparation and co-design)
• 11 Nov. 2024 Visit to and consultation for Johannesschule in Bildstock Friederichsthal, Saarland (Waldorf special needs school)
• 20–21 Sept. 2024 Conference of the Waldorf vocational colleges at FWS Jena (preparation and design)
• 17–20 May 2024 Education Festival 2024 at Schloss Hamborn (co-design and co-organization)
• School year 2023/24: school visits and consultations (07–09 Aug. 2023 Jena, 04/05 Oct. 2023 Dresden, 19 Oct. 2023 Hamborn, 20/21 Mar. 2024 Chemnitz)

Projects

• Collaboration with the “Graduation Portfolio” coordination group to develop a “Craft Portfolio” as well as a graduation portfolio for Waldorf special needs schools

• Project for the reorientation and evaluation of the “Building Period” within teacher training at the Waldorf Institute Witten-Annen
• Waldorf Vocational College project, focus on art and theater, Jena
• Project recognition of the vocational foundation year at NWS Dresden
• Participation in the working group for action-oriented school initiatives, Hof Pente and others
• Consultation on establishing vocational education at the Waldorf school in Tbilisi, Georgia

Earlier (Selection)

• Regular conferences of the Waldorf vocational colleges
• Model project “Learning to Act – the Vocational Waldorf School” (2018–2022). Federation of Independent Waldorf Schools
• Education Congress “Learning through work – working through learning. The Educational Idea of the Waldorf School,” Herne 2018