7. VAST and VART programmes

In addition to the well-proven procedure applied so far, employees are offered improved career opportunities.

a) Preparation of employees for activities generally performed by a Sachbearbeiter (staff member in charge of particular matters) (VAST)

The following goals are to be achieved by this preparation programme:

• meeting the demand for qualified staff in the gehobener Dienst (higher intermediate service) by carrying out a preparation measure for employees, preparing them for changing from the job profile of the mittlerer Dienst (intermediate service) to that of the gehobener Dienst. The content of the preparation measure is still to be specified.
• transparency of the procedure.

As the only entrance requirement, the candidate has to have performed three years of an activity classified under salary bracket V c or an equivalent activity.

Applications are invited for participation in the preparation measure. Candidates should submit their application on their own initiative and through official channels. The relevant department shall comment on the candidate's aptitude for later employment in the gehobener Dienst.

Candidates may submit repeated applications.

b) Preparation of employees for activities generally performed by a Referent (assistant head of section) (VART)

The following goals are to be achieved by this preparation programme:

• increasing the share of staff performing Referenten activities after having performed activities generally performed by Hauptsachbearbeiter (senior staff member in charge of particular matters) to at least 10% of the staff in the höherer Dienst,
• preparing the selected staff members for changing from the job profile of the gehobener Dienst to that of the höherer Dienst by carrying out a preparation measure whose content is still to be specified,
• transparency of the procedure.

As a requirement for admission to the preparation measure, employees must have performed three years of an activity classified under salary bracket III, case group 1a.

The Office shall provide the posts required. Applications are invited for participation in the preparation measure. Candidates should submit their application on their own initiative and through official channels. The relevant department shall comment on the candidate's aptitude for later employment in the höherer Dienst.