The article focuses on the results of vocational integration over the last two decades and on actual results from client-surveys as presented by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Berufsförderungswerke (ADB) (working group of the German vocational retraining centres) and the Berufsförderungswerk Heidelberg (BFW Heidelberg, the vocational retraining centre in Heidelberg). Process quality of vocational rehabilitation can be indicated by data like the number of persons dropping out of their training - the ratio to be found in the vocational retraining centres is on a lower level than in other institutions of vocational training. Clients have changed: during the last decade the average age of the clients in the BFW Heidelberg has increased by 3 years, there is a higher proportion of women, but there also are more clients with psychological disorders. A new group of clients is growing - non-handicapped persons who pay for their training themselves. Process quality has improved, with graduates of the BFW Heidelberg saying significantly more often that they can use much or very much of the training courses' contents within their later occupational activities -- the proportion increases with the level of training they had undergone. Additionally the proportion of those is growing who see themselves in an -- according to their training -- adequate occupational situation. These are certainly positive results referring to the indicators of process quality. Concerning outcome quality one has to take the levels of occupational integration into account. Compared with the results of German vocational retraining centres overall, graduates of the Heidelberg centre constantly had a higher level of vocational integration over the last 20 years, one of the reasons being that the vocational training offered in Heidelberg reaches up to the level of degree of a university of applied sciences. The situation on the job market strongly influences occupational integration: it is evident that a high rate of unemployment will extend the time span necessary for placement. But in the long run occupational integration proves to be amazingly high. Variables that influence the results are: level of disability, sex, age and marital status. The level of vocational qualification is a characteristic with high evidence: integration of graduates at the level of "Fachschule" (highly skilled technician or the like) is 10 % higher and that of graduates at the level of "Fachhochschule" (university of applied sciences) another 10 %. Participation in vocational rehabilitation generally is highly estimated -- estimation as given two years after the training increases with the level of qualification. In the Heidelberg centre progress is seen in expanding the proportions of special target groups (which of course is politically aimed at): women now account for some 30 %, there are more elderly clients and for example also more clients with psychological disorders. The vocational integration of these various groups has to be regarded under different aspects. For e...

The physicians in charge of 15 German hemodialysis units furnished data on 713 dialysis patients. Data relating to the vocational status were examined for 612 patients aged 60 years or below. It was found that the current working status varies with psychological and social factors. The data show that the vocational status is importantly influenced by the premorbid profession, the level of schooling and by the conditions of the local labor market. With the exception of severe complications or secondary diseases, no relation existed between the somatic state and the current working status. As assessed by the physicians in charge, most dialysis patients were able to work part time, but unable to work full time. Lack of facilities for, or financial disincentives against, part time employment are felt to be the single most important obstacle to vocational rehabilitation of dialysis patients.

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