Book excerpt: This book examines modularisation in the German system of initial vocational education and training – an issue that is a matter of intense debate by educationists and politicians in Germany. After examining the underlying concept of modularisation, Hubert Ertl looks at approaches to it in Spain, Scotland, France and the Netherlands, before examining in detail the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) framework in England and Wales. The author demonstrates how the strengths and weaknesses of NVQs (and their functional position within the education and training system) are particularly significant to the strategy of modularisation in German initial training that he goes on to propose. This strategy recommends the evolutionary development of the elements of occupational profiles into self-contained modules, and identifies the ways in which these elements have to be transformed in order to fulfil the functions of modules in a modularised training system. The author hopes that the restructured system may incorporate modules developed in co-operation with European partners and so link to other national training systems.