Washington D.C. (November 16, 2020) – In recognition of the increasing need for robust international skills to help solve global challenges, Cultural Vistas has implemented a new Award for Excellence in International Skill-Building. The inaugural recipient is Felix Fechenbach Berufskolleg (FFB), a vocational college in Western Germany that offers dual training programs in the classroom and professional workplace.

For more than 20 years, the FFB has administered a multi-faceted exchange experience between their community in Detmold, Germany and Atlanta Tech in Georgia, giving young people in the technical education branch an opportunity to experience the culture, language, education systems, and professional development in the other country. More than 300 students and 100 faculty members have developed international skills through study tours, faculty development programs and internship placements.

“The impact that this program has had on its participants personally, and especially on their intercultural understanding and career horizons, has been immense,” said Jennifer Clinton, President/CEO of Cultural Vistas.

“It also shows the long-lasting impact that an exchange between two technical colleges can have on generations of students and faculty.The partnership between Atlanta Tech and the FFB is not simply a travel experience, it has become an integral part of the student life and educational opportunities for both institutions, which they honor with the motto: Living, Learning and Working together.”

In particular, Cultural Vistas created this new award this year to highlight excellence in international exchange of young people in career and technical education (apprenticeship) programs. This is a target group that is still largely underrepresented in international opportunities abroad, so we are pleased to draw attention to this homegrown exchange program, which has been providing young people completing apprenticeships in Germany and in the state of Georgia with the opportunity to gain practical experience abroad for two decades.

The Cultural Vistas Award for Excellence in International Skill-Building will be administered annually to recognize institutions that demonstrate impact by providing international opportunities to young people through professional training such as internships and apprenticeships.

Jennifer Clinton will present the award to Felix Fechenbach Berufskolleg on November 16 at a virtual networking event with the Joachim Herz Foundation. The presentation of the award coincides with International Education Week. Held November 16-20, this joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.