A party of vocational educators from the United Kingdom (UK) traveled to the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) to observe one- and two-year full-time courses in office skills that are designed for recent school leavers who did not participate in the country's dual system of vocational education and apprenticeship training. The focus of their observations was on the Berufsgrundbildungsjahr and Berufsfachschule; the training and role of teachers and instructors in the vocational education system; language learning, especially business English; theory and practice in terms of general provision of language training in the vocational field; and course content, methods, and examinations. On the whole, the FRG system was seen as highly structured and fairly inflexible, largely because the educational half and the apprenticeship half of the dual system exist under different legislation. The UK observers felt that the narrowly defined and separate apprenticeships did not match the times in terms of economic, industrial, and occupational change. Despite its problems, it is commendable that the vocational education system in the FRG is still prepared to absorb all young people in significant education and training following compulsory schooling. (Appended to this report is a discussion of the dual system for vocational education and apprenticeship training in the FRG). (MN)