Founder and CEO of COLCONS

Dr. Daniel Büttner

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Guiding principle

“A day without learning is a wasted day.”

Dr Daniel Büttner is the founder and Managing Director of COLCONS – Corporate Learning Consultants. For more than 25 years, he has supported companies, educational institutions and partner organisations in developing qualification strategies, train-the-trainer formats, digital learning concepts and international education partnerships.

His work combines vocational education and training, trainer qualification, research-informed transfer and the practical integration of AI into learning and workplace contexts. He therefore represents both the professional orientation and the credibility of COLCONS.
Career path

Practical experience, professional qualification and academic specialisation

Areas of focus

  • vocational education and training (VET) and trainer qualification
  • train-the-trainer programmes and qualification strategies
  • digital learning solutions and instructional design
  • AI in vocational training and learning contexts
  • international education partnerships and research-to-practice transfer

Education and academic background

  • Doctorate (Dr. phil.) in Educational Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
  • Dissertation: The Emergence of System and Institutional Trust: The Role of DIN EN ISO 9001 Certificates as Trust Substitutes
  • Diplom-Kaufmann, German university degree in Business Administration, FernUniversität in Hagen
  • Vocational training as a bank clerk, Landesbank Berlin

Expertise – practice-oriented, transfer-focused and internationally applicable

Dr Daniel Büttner advises companies, educational institutions and international partner organisations in Germany and abroad. His work focuses on qualification strategies, trainer qualification, train-the-trainer programmes and digital learning concepts that are technically sound and practical to implement. His formats range from in-house seminars and workshops to web-based training and qualification frameworks designed for transfer into practice.

He combines action-oriented learning methods with digital learning formats and a considered use of AI. A particular focus lies on developing learning and qualification solutions that meet the requirements of workplace practice as well as institutional, didactic and international contexts.

Dr Daniel Büttner’s professional development brings together practical responsibility in companies, many years of work in vocational education and training, and academic specialisation. Earlier roles in commercial and management positions shaped his perspective on in-company qualification, staff development and organisational learning processes. This led to the professional focus that continues to shape the work of COLCONS today: designing vocational education and training that are didactically sound, organisationally compatible, and effective in practice.

COLCONS – education with substance, practical transfer and a future focus

Innovation in vocational training:
Using AI and advanced technologies, including personalised learning pathways, AI-supported conversation simulations and adaptive learning platforms.

International engagement:
Promoting the German dual vocational education and training system internationally, in cooperation with international partners and through networks such as iMOVE.
Responsible practice:
Ethical principles, strict data protection standards and fair cooperation with all partners.
Sustainable workforce development:
Developing future-ready training formats that create long-term value for companies and employees.
Customised solutions:
Consulting and training programmes tailored to the needs of each company, with a strong focus on practical implementation.

Academic work, teaching and research-to-practice transfer

Alongside his work as founder of COLCONS, Dr Daniel Büttner is involved in teaching, research and transfer activities at HTW Berlin – University of Applied Sciences. In this role, he links research-oriented project work with questions of qualification, knowledge transfer and the didactic design of complex transformation processes.

He currently serves as Work Package Lead in the research project “PASSAT – Digital Product Passport Austria & Beyond”. His work focuses on making Digital Product Passport knowledge structured, transferable and usable in practice. He also teaches in the field of Digital Business, with a focus that includes AI in the workplace.

Previously, he served as an educational consultant at HTW Berlin in the research project “BaSys4Transfer”. The project has since been completed.

Selected qualifications and professional development

  • Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate (Microsoft)
  • MicroMasters: Instructional Design and Technology (University of Maryland Global Campus)
  • Online Teaching for Educators: Development and Delivery (The University of British Columbia)
  • Action Learning Coach (WIAL – World Institute for Action Learning, London)
  • Authorised seminar facilitator for TOPSIM business simulations
  • Certificate course “Train the Trainer”, IHK Berlin – Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Berlin

IHK Berlin – Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Berlin

Dr Daniel Büttner’s professional development is closely connected to IHK Berlin and the wider Chamber of Commerce and Industry environment. For more than 17 years, he worked as a lecturer for IHK Berlin in qualification programmes related to the trainer examination under the AEVO framework. This long-standing teaching work is an important source of practical experience and credibility for his current work in trainer qualification and vocational education and training. His voluntary professional service roles in examination and advanced training contexts are listed separately.

Voluntary professional service roles

  • Chair of the Examination Board for “Certified Vocational Pedagogues”, IHK Berlin
  • Examination Development Committee for “Certified Vocational Pedagogues (IHK)”, DIHK-Gesellschaft für berufliche Bildung mbH
  • Expert Commission for the Development of the Framework Curriculum for “Certified Vocational Pedagogues (IHK)”, DIHK-Gesellschaft für berufliche Bildung mbH

Selected publications

  • Adaptive Learning Paths for Industry 4.0 Competencies: A Didactic Framework with Role- and Maturity-Based Differentiation Using the Asset Administration Shell
  • Bridging the Qualification Gap for the Asset Administration Shell: A Modular and Role-Based Learning Framework
  • The Emergence of System and Institutional Trust: The Role of DIN EN ISO 9001 Certificates as Trust Substitutes
  • Certified Business Economists (IHK): Introduction to Business Administration, Financial Accounting, Cost and Revenue Accounting, and Business Taxation
  • Certified Vocational Pedagogues (IHK): Human Resource Development and Advisory Services
  • Certified Vocational Pedagogues (IHK): Vocational Pedagogical Practice in Vocational Education and Training Contexts

Frequently Asked Questions

Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about Dr Daniel Büttner’s work and how to get in touch.

What are the main areas of focus at COLCONS?

COLCONS focuses on dual vocational education and training, consulting for companies, digital education and international projects.

Which projects has COLCONS successfully implemented in the past?

Numerous projects in dual vocational training and digital education have been successfully implemented, including international partnerships and customised training programmes.

View a selection of COLCONS project references.
View references →

How can I contact Dr Büttner?

You can contact Dr Büttner using the contact form on this website.

Meet Dr Daniel Büttner

Would you like to strengthen your vocational training, implement digital learning solutions or make use of AI-based learning concepts?

I look forward to developing customised solutions with you.

Get in touch