Rebuilding Germany's centuries-old vocational program

Within buildings 10 and 30 of the Siemens complex on the outskirts of Munich, the next generation of German workers are toiling over a range of test projects. The assignments are carefully chosen to impart the skills needed to continue the German miracle in automated manufacturing. In one room, a group of young men train to be automotive mechatronic engineers. They've just spent the past week feverishly programming a diminutive working model of an automated production line--complete with sensors, conveyor belts, and tools that work without human input. They're able to discuss their work in surprisingly good English, but what sets them apart from their peers in the US is that none of them attend a university.