In many emerging countries the TVET system has been implemented in order to qualify young people for the world of work and to leave poverty behind. In many of these countries TVET success stories from Europe are told. However, in most of the emerging countries TVET has not gained momentum yet - as expected. This research will tighten the investigation on 5 factors which will be compared between the TVET system in German speaking countries and developing/emerging countries – represented by Ethiopia. The selected factors are the purpose assigned to the TVET system, the structure of the TVET system, the innovation approach and entrepreneurship education as well as the preconditions to become a TVET teacher/instructor. The analysis of these factors should demonstrate a disaggregated perspective the TVET success stories told from the German speaking countries.