Copenhagen Technical College– an introduction

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Copenhagen Technical College – an introductionCopenhagen Technical College (KTS) is

the capital’s technical college, known

for its broad scope and high academic

standards.

Taking social development and the

business sector as our point of depar-

ture, we educate people to tackle the

demands of a globalised world. We

generate pride, we are innovative and we

show initiative.

Our education programmes are excit-

ing and we guarantee a high level of

utility.

Copenhagen Technical College is a

modern institute of education.

The college’s education programmes

and courses are being continu-

ously developed so that they reflect the

requirements for education programmes

of a high standard, both now and in the

future.

The college provides tuition at nine

venues in Greater Copenhagen.

The college is one of Denmark’s larg-

est technical colleges and in 2012 we

had a turnover of DKK 453 million.

A vocational education (VET) is anap-

prenticeship education, with periods

spent in college and periods spent in

on–the–job training.

An education programme is a coher-

ent process consisting of two phases:

There is a basic phase of 10 to 60 weeks,

and a main phase which constitutes the

remaining part of the education.

The education programme often

begins with a basic course at the col-

lege, but you can also start at a work

placement if you have one. A vocational

education usually lasts four years.

Copenhagen Technical College offers

eux, a programme where the students

get a VET education together with the

addition of gymnasial courses. Eux is

offered at five venues.

KTS also offers Higher Technical

Examination, htx, at two venues. A Higher

Technical Examination takes three years.

Basic courseCopenhagen Technical College offers

five vocational basic courses aimed at

32 main programmes, 24 of which are

offered by the college.

Main programmeAt the beginning, or during the introduc-

tory course, the student must decide

which subject they wish to follow.

The part of the vocational education

that comes after the introductory course

is called the main programme and con-

sists of periods of study at the college

and practical periods with on–the–job

training.

The practical periods are spent in a

company. In order to begin a main pro-

gramme, the student must have a train-

ing agreement with an approved com-

pany or employer or have the possibility

of practical training in the college.

The duration of the main programme

will depend on the choice of education

programme. The main programme con-

cludes with an apprenticeship exam/

assignment.

Supplementary TrainingIn addition to general education pro-

grammes, the college offers more

than 220 different supplementary

courses (2013) in 20 different sectors of

industry. –

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Higher Technical Examination (htx)Copenhagen Technical College pro-

gramme is a three-year upper second-

ary school programme focusing on IT,

mathematics, physics, chemistry, com-

munication, technology, Danish, social

studies and foreign languages.

All students are responsible for a

college–supplied laptop. The teaching

methods used at Copenhagen Technical

College are highly practically oriented

and the students often work in projects

groups

.

Eux Eux is a new youth education, in which

the student become both a qualified

craftsman and gain a gymnasial student

exam at the same time. With an eux, you

get a VET education together with the

addition of gymnasial courses.

The education takes between 4.1 to

4.5 years, depending on which educa-

tion you choose.

With an eux diploma the student can

apply for further studies to a range of

higher educations, for example

(the school of architecture), the Archi-

tectural Technology and Construction

Management program or to the (Chief

Mechanic) school.

The eux study programme consists of

upper secondary school subjects such

as Danish, mathematics, social stud-

ies and English at a HF–level along with

those subjects normal taken during a

traditional VET.

In this fashion, the students have the

opportunity to combine the secondary

school courses with the practical VET

courses, and eux becomes a sublime

combination of practical and theoretical

knowledge.

ProgrammesThe overview (p. 6) shows the five basic

courses offered by Copenhagen Techni-

cal College and the main programmes at

which they are aimed.

Note: The main programmes marked

with an asterisk (*) can be completed

at Copenhagen Technical College. The

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other programmes must be completed

at another technical college.

For English-speaking students we offer Copenhagen Design and Construction – BasisCDC Basic is cabinetmaking, joinery and

carpentry consolidated into one basic

course. Copenhagen Technical College

offers an innovative 24 week VET basic

course in constructing. CDC Basic gives

you the tools to start an exciting educa-

tion and career within cabinetmaking,

joinery and carpentry.

To start on CDC Basic no prior experi-

ence with woodwork is required, only the

desire to learn. After completion of CDC

Basic, you can pursue further educatio-

nand become fully trained professional

within the chosen field.

Transition programmes and other special activitiesMany young people are unsure as tow-

hat they want to do and many never get

started or quickly drop out of a youth

education programme. In 2012, there

were 10.288 municipal school students

attending Copenhagen Technical

College, with 7745 attending the intro-

duction courses and 2543 attending

transition programmes. Past students

provide an insight into the courses

we offer and into the experience of

attending Copenhagen Technical Col-

lege.

Basic vocational trainingSome of the reasons that students drop

out of or choose not to take a youth edu-

cation programme may include a lack

of academic or social skills or general

uncertainty about their own abilities.

The basic vocational training pro-

grammes take all that into account, as

the programme is planned individually

and instruction with varying durations

depending on the needs of the individual

student.

Young people with reading andwriting difficultiesAt Copenhagen Technical College, young

people with reading and writing difficul-

ties or dyslexia can receive instruction

Building and construction• Civil construction worker, concreter and paver*

• Housing assembly trainee

• Wall, ceiling and unit installer*

• Painter and decorator

• Tiling*

• Floor Layer*

• Brick Layer*

• Organ builder*

• Joiner*

• Carpenter*

• Plumber

Production and development• Retail goldsmith*

• Clinical dental technician assistant*

• CNC technician*

• Industrial operator*

• Industrial technician*

• Dental technician*

• Metal smith*

• Foundry technician*

• Process operator*

• Silver– and goldsmith*

• Technical designer*

• Toolmaker*

Media production• Film and television production

engineer*

• Photographer*

• Graphical technician*

• Media graphic designer*

• Sign writer

• Web integrator

Construction and user service• Property service technician*

• Service assistant

• Security guard*

Electricity, management and IT• Electrician

• Theatre, exhibition and event organizer*

Eux• Eux, bricklaying*

• Eux, carpenter*

• Eux, concreter*

• Eux, joiner*

• Eux, industrial technician*

• Eux, toolmaker*

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together with other students with similar

problems.

We collaborate with the Copenhagen

School for Dyslexia, which provides part

of the instruction. The so-called dyslexic

classes are available to students at

the carpentry and painter training pro-

grammes.

A basic vocational training programme

may last from 10 to 60 weeks, thus

enabling the planning of flexible basic

courses that take account of the specific

needs of the individual student, including

for instance extra instruction in Danish or

mathematics.

Receive assistance from a guidance counsellorIt may be difficult to choose an education

or training programme, but even if you

know exactly what you want, it may be a

good idea to have a chat with a guidance

counsellor.

Copenhagen Technical College has

an extensive team of guidance counsel-

lors that can help find the education or

training programme best suited for you.

They can also answer the many practical

questions you may have, e.g. questions

regarding economy, admission require-

ments, finding a placement for practical

training or opportunities to travel abroad

in connection with the programme.

Contact teachersA contact teacher is assigned to all

students enrolled in vocational training

programmes. The contact teacher is the

student’s guidance counsellor during

the programme and will help solve any

issues relating to the education or train-

ing. At the Higher Technical Examination

(htx) programmes, the class teacher or

the individual teachers are the guidance

counsellors.

Educational theory and practiceand study environmentIt is our goal at Copenhagen Technical

College that students and course par-

ticipants shall develop professionally

and personally during their education or

training.

Practice-based, problem-oriented and

project-based instruction is therefore a

major element of all programmes. Fur-

thermore, the instruction is evaluated

thoroughly in order to enable us to check

and improve its quality.

The planning of the learning is based

Media production• Film and television production

engineer*

• Photographer*

• Graphical technician*

• Media graphic designer*

• Sign writer

• Web integrator

Find more information on the courses here: www.kts.dk

Eux• Eux, bricklaying*

• Eux, carpenter*

• Eux, concreter*

• Eux, joiner*

• Eux, industrial technician*

• Eux, toolmaker*

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on equality and student participation,

since we believe that these fundamental

values strengthen the students’ own

sense of responsibility for the learning

process.

We give high priority to the physical

environment and study facilities and

we continuously invest in improving our

facilities at our nine venues.

The teachersAt Copenhagen Technical College, we

believe that it is essential for our teach-

ers to have close professional relations

with the disciplines and the subjects

they teach.

All the teachers at the vocational train-

ing programmes offered by Copenhagen

Technical College therefore have a mini-

mum five years’ professional experience

within the disciplines they teach.

Naturally, all teachers have completed

a basic training programme in educa-

tional theory and practice. Copenhagen

Technical College also works with sys-

tematic competence development for all

employees.

For businesses – further education and training and apprenticesNaturally, the extensive range of courses

offered by Copenhagen Technical College

are also available to businesses, and if

any business has special needs, they

can simply make a telephone call to one

of our consultants. The business and the

consultant can work together to decide

on the composition of the course.

When an enterprise needs an apprenticeMost businesses regard it as a bonus

and a profitable investment to take on an

apprentice and Copenhagen Technical

College assists enterprises with finding

a training agreement that satisfies their

specific needs. There are four types:

• Ordinary agreement where the

enterprise has the apprentice during

the entire programme

• Short-term agreement where the

enterprise has the apprentice for part

of the programme

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• Combination agreement where two or

more enterprises share an apprentice

• Flexible combination agreements

where an enterprise only has the

apprentice during part of the pro-

gramme

because the enterprise is not fully

approved as a practical training

The specialised employees at our Enterprise Secretariat assist with:• registration of training agreements

• rules of training

• pay and employment conditions

• possible grants

• school periods

• transport grants for school periods

• boarding facilities for apprentices

• practical training abroad

• further training

Copenhagen Technical College as an organisationA professional board of directors man-

ages the Copenhagen Technical College

with representatives from the labour

market and the school’s employees (the

latter have no voting rights). The board of

directors is responsible for the efficient

and sound operation of Copenhagen

Technical College as a business and for

ensuring that the college undergoes con-

tinuous development in line with society

as a whole. The day–to–day manage-

ment is provided by the management

board, which consists of Ole Heinager,

chief executive officer (CEO), Desiré

Christoffersen, vice–president and Per

Nielsen, administration manager.

Five staff managers are attached to

the management board. The individual

school areas are each headed by a prin-

cipal, one or more educational managers

and an administration manager.

The teachers often form part of a team

of teachers. The actual organisation of

the teachers may vary from area to area.

The consultation and safety work at

Copenhagen Technical College is organ-

ised in local and central bodies and the

college also has a team of research,

development and learning consultants.

These consultants perform special

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Year 2010 2011 2012

Turnover in DKK million 440 434 453

Full–time employees 560 567 567

Profit in DKK million 12 2 6

Full–time students 4200 4246 4459

Full–time students:

Bridge building 172 176 156

Basic course 1671 1821 1930

Main course 736 684 696

Higher Technical Examination 754 813 892

Compensatory practical training 391 375 374

Further training/education 421 313 313

Short and medium term higher and further education and training* 21 0 0

Other 35 64 99

Total number of full–time students 4200 4246 4459

* In January 2009, short and medium term higher and further education and training was transferred to an independent

technical academy, Copenhagen Technical Academy

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functions in addition to their general

working functions and the educational

managers usually provides support

and assistance to the inspector, the

programme principals and the individual

teacher teams in connection with devel-

opment tasks.

PartnersCopenhagen Technical College aims to

have an open and trusting relationship

with the surrounding society.

Naturally, the Danish Ministry of

Children and Education is an important

partner, as are the regional Youth Guid-

ance Centres.

Copenhagen Technical College also

collaborates with other educational

establishments and the individual

schools have daily contact with

businesses, organisations and other

partners.

Copenhagen Technical CollegeCarl Jacobsens Vej 25, 2500 Valby, Denmark

Phone +45 3586 3586 www.kts.dk

03

199

2013