Founder and CEO of COLCONS

Dr Daniel Büttner

International expert in dual vocational education and training, digital learning solutions, and AI in education
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Credo

“A day without learning is a wasted day.”

Dr. Daniel Büttner is the founder and CEO 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-to-practice transfer, and the practical integration of AI into learning and work contexts. In doing so, he represents both the professional focus and the credibility of COLCONS.

Professional Path – Practice, Qualification, and Academic Depth

Dr Daniel Büttner’s professional development combines practical responsibility in companies, long-standing work in vocational education and training, and academic specialisation. Earlier positions in commercial and leadership roles shaped his perspective on in-company qualification, staff development, and organisational learning processes. From this emerged the focus that now defines the work of COLCONS: designing vocational education and training in a way that is didactically sound, organisationally viable, and effective in practice.

Education and academic background:

  • Doctorate (Dr. phil.) in Educational Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin
  • Dissertation: The Emergence of System and Institutional Trust – The Role of DIN EN ISO 9001 Certificates as Substitutes for Trust
  • Graduate degree in Business Administration, FernUniversität in Hagen
  • Apprenticeship as a bank clerk, Landesbank Berlin

Expertise – practical, transfer-oriented, and internationally relevant

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 professionally robust and practically applicable. His formats range from in-house seminars and workshops to web-based training and transfer-oriented qualification architectures.

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

Key areas of focus

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

COLCONS – Education with substance, transfer, and a future-oriented perspective

COLCONS stands for well-founded educational and consulting services at the intersection of vocational education and training, digital transformation, and organisational development. Its aim is to design qualification in a way that is not only professionally sound, but also sustainably effective.

Innovation in vocational training:
Use of AI and state-of-the-art technologies (personalised learning pathways, AI-supported conversation simulations, adaptive learning platforms).

International engagement:
Global dissemination of the dual vocational education and training system “Made in Germany”, in cooperation with international partners (e.g. iMOVE).

Responsible conduct:
Ethical principles, strict data protection standards and fair cooperation with all partners.

Sustainable development of skilled workers:
Creation of future-proof training programmes that in the long term add value for companies and employees in the long term.

Tailor-made solutions:
Individually tailored to companies’ consultancy and training programmes with a strong practical focus.

Teaching, Research, and Research-to-Practice Transfer

Alongside his work as founder of COLCONS, Dr. Daniel Büttner is active in teaching, research, and transfer contexts at HTW Berlin, University of Applied Sciences. There, he connects research-based project work with questions of qualification, knowledge transfer, and the didactic design of complex transformation fields.

He currently serves as Work Package Lead in the research project “PASSAT – Digital Product Passport Austria & Beyond.” The project focuses on transfer-oriented qualification and structuring approaches in the context of the Digital Product Passport. In addition, he teaches in the field of Digital Business, where his work includes AI in the workplace.

Previously, he worked at HTW Berlin as an educational advisor in the research project BaSys4Transfer. This project has 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 / Berlin Chamber of Industry and Commerce)

IHK Berlin – Berlin Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Dr. Daniel Büttner’s professional development is closely connected to the IHK context. For more than 17 years, he worked as a lecturer at IHK Berlin in qualification programmes related to the trainer examination under the AEVO framework. This long-standing work forms a central practical and credibility anchor for his current activities in trainer qualification and vocational education and training. Separate from this are his honorary roles in examination and advanced training contexts.

Honorary roles

  • Chair of the Examination Board for “Certified Vocational Pedagogues,” IHK Berlin
  • Examination Development Committee for “Certified Vocational Pedagogues (IHK),” DIHK Bildungs-gGmbH
  • Expert Commission for the development of the framework curriculum for “Certified Vocational Pedagogues (IHK)”, DIHK Bildungs-gGmbH

Selected publications

  • Adaptive Learning Paths for Industry 4.0 Competencies: 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 Substitutes for Trust
  • Certified Business Administrators (IHK) – Introduction to Business Administration: Financial Accounting, Cost-Revenue Accounting, Business Taxation
  • Certified Vocational Pedagogues (IHK) – Human Resource Development and Consulting
  • Certified Vocational Pedagogues (IHK) – Vocational Pedagogical Action in Areas of Vocational Education and Training

References

Take a look at an extract from the list of clients a9> COLCONS clients.
To the references →

Meet Dr. Daniel Büttner

Would you like to take your vocational education and training to the next level, implement digital learning solutions, or make use of AI-based learning concepts?

I look forward to developing customised solutions together with you!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about Dr Daniel Büttner’s work and how to contact him.

What are the main areas of focus in the work of Dr. Büttner?

Dr Büttner focuses on dual vocational training, management consultancy, digital education and international projects.

What projects has Dr Büttner successfully implemented in the past?

He has successfully carried out numerous projects in the fields of dual vocational training and digital education, including international collaborations and tailored training programmes.

How can I reach Dr Büttner?

You can contact Dr Büttner via the contact form on our website .