continuing education
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continuing education
An organized learning measure intended to expand, deepen, or update professional knowledge and skills. It builds on already existing training or professional experience.
Nächstes Jahr mache ich eine Fortbildung zum Thema Projektmanagement.
Next year I'm doing a continuing education course on project management.
The word is made up of 'fort' and 'Bildung' (education). Here, 'fort' means 'weiter' (further) or 'voran' (forward), so it is about education that advances someone professionally or builds on existing knowledge.
Diese Fortbildung hat mir geholfen, meine Karriere voranzutreiben.
This continuing education course helped me advance my career.
Common verbs used with 'Fortbildung' (continuing education) are 'eine Fortbildung machen' (to do a continuing education course), 'eine Fortbildung besuchen' (to attend a continuing education course), or 'an einer Fortbildung teilnehmen' (to take part in a continuing education course).
Alle Mitarbeiter müssen an dieser Sicherheitsfortbildung teilnehmen.
All employees must take part in this safety training course.
To specify the topic of the continuing education course, the preposition 'zu' (+ dative) or the phrase 'zum Thema' (on the topic of) is usually used. 'In' (+ dative) for a subject area is also common.
Er macht eine Fortbildung zu neuen Marketingstrategien.
He is doing a continuing education course on new marketing strategies.
training / education
'Ausbildung' and 'Fortbildung' both belong to professional learning. The most important difference is the timing. You do an 'Ausbildung' in order to learn a profession in the first place, often over several years in a company and at vocational school. You do a 'Fortbildung' later, once you already have training or work experience and need new knowledge for your job. Learners easily confuse the words because both have to do with learning for work. In practical terms: the 'Ausbildung' often comes first, and 'Fortbildungen' can come afterward.
Für ihre neue Aufgabe im Büro macht Anna im Mai eine Fortbildung.
For her new task in the office, Anna is doing a continuing education course in May.
Nach der Schule beginnt Mehmet eine Ausbildung zum Elektriker.
After school, Mehmet starts vocational training to become an electrician.