According to the new federal vocational education law which came into effect on April 1 2005, vocational education includes vocational preparation education, vocational education, vocational continuing education and vocational change education. The goal of vocational preparatory education is to obtain the basic content of vocational action ability through teaching, so as to have the qualification to accept the vocational education of educational occupation recognized by the state. (2) Vocational education aims to teach vocational skills, knowledge and ability (professional action ability) necessary to engage in qualified professional activities and gain necessary professional experience through standardized education process. (3) Vocational continuing education should provide the possibility of maintaining, adapting or expanding vocational mobility and career promotion. (4) Career-changing education should teach students the ability to engage in another occupation.

Germany's federal vocational education law only stipulates the enterprise part of the "dual system" vocational education equivalent to high school.

From a hierarchical point of view, vocational education in Germany is mainly secondary vocational education, and more than 70% of young people in the age group of 16 ~ 19 receive vocational education. However, since the 1970s, dual vocational education has gradually extended to higher education, and there have been "vocational colleges" and some "specialized universities" adopting dual mode, which can be included in the category of higher vocational education.

From the content, German vocational education includes both pre-vocational education (preparatory education and vocational education) and post-vocational education (continuing education and career change education).