Vocational training and further education:
Apprenticeship system, education and qualification
"Join – act – win“: This is how the Gießen-Friedberg Chamber of
Industry and Commerce (CIC) invites all its members to take part in
the Chamber’s activities and to make a difference. It is our goal
to let as many companies as possible benefit from our services, so
they can increase their own benefits.
What role does the division ‘Vocational Training and
further Education’ of the CIC Gießen-Friedberg play in all this?
And how can you contribute to make a difference?
The 18 employees and 3 trainees of the CIC division
“Vocational Training and further Education” distinguish themselves
in commitment, imagination and perseverance. And we are proud to
say that in the training year 2007, this division under the
leadership of manager Elke Ehlen and her representative Axel
Steinbeiß has been successful in increasing the number of
registered apprenticeships for the fifth time in a row, thus
catapulting itself to the top position inthe State of Hesse. 2,313
new apprenticeships could be completed in the year 2007 in the
regions of Gießen, Vogelsberg and Wetterau - that is an increase of
14.1 per cent compared to the previous year. All in all, the number
of new apprenticeships in the CIC region increased by around 25
percent in the period of 2003 to 2006. “We have achieved a lot in
collaboration with the local companies” sum-upped Elke Ehlen who is
also deputy director of the CIC Gießen-Friedberg. “The training
pact has proven itself in the third year”.
Good Education as a Key to
Success
This past year, 169 companies decided to incorporate a training
program for apprentices for the first time. “The benefit for
companies that train for the first time is of central importance
for the creation of further training positions” emphasized CIC
Vice-President Dr. Angelika Schlaefke recently at the delivery of
certificates to the “Apprenticing Company 2007”, the REWE Group in
Rosbach. As many other entrepreneurs of the CIC, the “Organization
where Entrepreneurs make a Difference”, Schlaefke has volunteered
to advocate for a qualified training program for young people. A
good education is a key to later success in a career. Those
companies that who offer training positions now will later have
skilled employees at hand and thus strengthen their own
competitiveness.
Practical Information at the Center
Also in 2007, the CIC has succeeded in encouraging companies to
give graduates a chance. Two fairs for vocational training in which
both companies and schools participated took place under the
guidance of the CIC. The “Career Information Fair” in Butzbach and
the “Professional Career Compass” in Gießen each were a
presentation platform for the young people and the firms. Practical
information about career training and career opportunities was the
focus of the fairs. In discussions with local businesses, the
students could get an idea of their chosen apprenticed professions.
In addition to the exhibitors, representatives from the public
employment office as well as CIC training program consultants were
available to offer their help and advice to the youth. Nearly 1,500
interested students accepted the invitation of the CIC for the
Gießen fair for vocational training in May, a number that
symbolizes the students’ high interest in training programs.
Targeting Companies
In 2007, the CIC participated for the first time in
the nationwide “Day of the Apprenticeship”. This event was
organized by the public employment office. The main target group
were companies who regardless of their qualification to execute
training programs for apprentices have not yet employed an
apprentice up to now. In an expert telephone consultation, the
consultants of the employment office contacted 900 companies;
furthermore, at the Career Development Center (CDC) in Gießen,
young people could receive help with their job application. Still,
the main focus was on the individual discussion with the company
owners. The results are impressive: 120 companies signalled their
willingness to employ an apprentice again or for the first
time.
Free of Charge Job Fair
What made the employees of the division “Training and Further
Education” particularly happy, was the outcome of the training
initiative “job2007” in collaboration with Sparda-Bank Hesse. The
private bank will pay 50 per cent of the apprentice’s pay for one
year to 50 Hesse apprenticing companies. The contribution is only
paid to companies that offer training for the first time or create
an additional training position. Five new apprenticing companies
could be attained in this manner. The CIC job fair on the Chamber’s
homepage with already 180 registrated companies has become very
popular. Here, companies have the possibility to place their offers
for training positions free of charge and to continually up-date
them. Anyone interested in further information about this fair may
contact Susanne Häuser, Tel.: 0641 / 7954-3080.
Practical Tips
Axel Steinbeiß knows that “it is very important to address the
companies in the region personally“. This is how Steinbeiß and his
team were able to attain 36 additional vacant apprenticeships as
well as 52 traineeships at the end of the year 2007. Likewise, a
close co-operation with the regional employment office is an
essential part of the success. Through data synchronisation, the
employment office’s statistics are continuously being up-dated. For
years, also the voluntary organization the Junior Chamber of
Commerce (Jaycees) Gießen-Vogelsberg and Wetterau have made a
valuable contribution to the acquisition of training positions by
helping High School students with their job applications.
Joint Training - Model of the Future
It is mostly a lack in practical training or a lack
of knowledge in legal or organizational matters that keep companies
from offering an apprenticeship. Here is where the CIC consultants
Sandra Kraft, Günther Lohmann, Hans-Joachim Danne and Reiner Schepp
can offer help and advice to companies. A proven method – which is
not very common particularly in the business of industries - is the
joint training. Through co-operation with matching partner
companies or an educational institution companies can cover the
training curriculum they cannot provide themselves. This is how it
works: A company which holds the CIC training qualification
concludes a contract with the apprentice. The training plan is
being matched with the respective partner company or educational
institution. In a co-operation contract, the training curriculum is
contractually agreed upon and this is also true for all
accumulating costs. The Educational Institute of the Hesse Industry
and Trade, a membership corporation, y supports the joint training
financially. “The joint training has a great potential for the
future” emphasizes Axel Steinbeiß.
Professional Honorary Examiners
Objectivity, validity and nationwide comparability
are strong components of all CIC-exams. Professional examinations
require professional honorary examiners. More than 1,300 examiners
are involved in about 250 examination boards at the CIC
Gießen-Friedberg. Additionally, a great number of instructors in
regional and nationwide committees provide exam material. The
organization of nearly 3,000 final exams yearly as well as a
comparable number of intermediate exams is taken over by a
five-headed team consisting of Lilli Felchle, Bettina Kipp, Jutta
Stopka, Hans-Joachim Danne and Stefan Lehr. As in the division of
training programs, the voluntary examiners and the employees in the
division of further education give their best so that the CIC
examination will be looked upon as something outstanding. More than
250 examiners are involved in about 50 further education boards of
examiners. Barbara Schäfer, Siglinde Schäfer, and Herbert Jung are
responsible for the smooth running of these exams. The CIC is in
charge of certification of further education examinations under
public law according to the Vocational Training Act. Each year,
nearly 1,000 examinees participate in the examinations.
Further Education- an Investment in the
Future
“Why further education?” some ingenious people may ask. “When it
comes to skills of employees expectations of businesses are very
high and will continue to increase in the future. To safeguard the
economic high performance and the competitiveness of businesses
well-trained and motivated employees are indispensable“, says Elke
Ehlen. “Further education is a reasonable investment in the future,
both for the company and for each single individual”. The CIC
Gießen-Friedberg offers an individual person- and company-based
further education consultation. The CIC’ s own offers
for further education are complemented by offers by regional
educational institutions and the regional further education data
bank RWB as well as by the Further Education-Information-System
(WIS).
Career in Vocational Training
With seminars and training courses the CIC further education
programs cover a broad spectrum both for the industrial and the
commercial business area. The trainers are qualified people from
the business community who impart their comprehensive knowledge in
a practical and well-focused manner. The committed employees of the
further education team are happy to answer any questions in
connection to job-related training, to re-entry into the job
market, with restructuring due to personal or business interests,
with unemployment or with higher qualification. Their motto is:
“Career in Vocational Training”.
Contact:
Elke Ehlen
Pictures by CCI
