Two training courses in ”Fundamental Metal – Hand Operated Tools” were conducted in September and October 2015 at LILAMA 2 in Long Thanh, Dong Nai.

30 practice trainers for occupations as metal cutting/CNC, construction mechanics, industrial electronics and mechatronics of LILAMA 2 could increase their technical competence with producing a C-Clamp by hand operated tools and simple machining processes. By manufacturing this project, the participants acquired knowledge and skills in the operation and maintenance of measuring devices, marking and punching tools, metal cutting tools as chisels, hack saws and various kinds of files as well as drilling, reaming and sinking tools. Besides that, complementary competences as reading of technical drawings, planning of work steps, organization of workshop and work place, and assembly techniques could be conveyed.

Furthermore, the courses aimed to provide the participants to get an insight into the practice training as it is being implemented in German companies. The German trainer of the courses, Mr. Ralf Hill, conveyed a positive work attitude to manual work and clarified the responsibilities of the training participants in their role as a trainer and mentor towards regular trainees in their daily work at the college. Besides the provision of technical knowledge and skills, a vocational trainer needs also to form characters in the trainees that are indispensable for a successful later career in the companies. Characters as mental and physical endurance, quality awareness, self-confidence, reliability, social and environmental responsibility, solidarity, punctuality, and the capacity for a critical self-assessment.

The two training courses were organized in the activity field “Centres of Excellence for TVET” of the Programme Reform of TVET in Vietnam. They are part of an overriding further training concept for technical vocational trainers of LILAMA 2 college, that aims to build up the professional competence of vocational trainers in industrial occupations as metal cutting/CNC, construction mechanics, industrial electronics and mechatronics.

To reach an intermediate level compared to German training standard as a next measure, the gained competences will be further developed and consolidated by conducting a training course in manufacturing a more complex project work by hand tools.