Spanish Apprentices are coming
This week a delegation from the local chamber of commerce (IHK) went to Málaga, Spain. They hosted job interviews for dual vocational trainings that will be conducted in companies in the region Heilbronn-Franken. With them: our vocational trainer Florian Herrmann.
With an unemployment rate of 36% the region Andalusia in southern Spain occupies a sad first place in Europe. Especially the youth is affected – two thirds of the young adults are without a job. 1.800 km northeastern lies our home region Main-Tauber, with a youth unemployment rate of 2.7%. This poses a challenge for the local companies in staffing all vocational training positions.
On 3rd and 4th of February the delegation hosted an information event in Málaga for dual vocational trainings in metal-working and electrical professions. Part of the event was a comprehensive assessment center, held just a few meters away from the Mediterranean Sea. Brigitte Käfer, training consultant of the chamber of commerce (IHK) Heilbronn-Franken: “We wanted to show the young Spaniards how a typical day in vocational training looks like and what they can expect from the apprenticeship. The success model of vocational training guarantees a good access to the working world." Florian Herrmann, responsible for the metal-working vocational trainings at BASS, was also part of the delegation. Nearly 40 Spanish job candidates wanted to prove him their practical and theoretical expertise. Besides the stations in the assessment center that were supervised by Florian Herrmann the applicants also had job interviews with the IHK training consultants and two workshops where their social skills and ability to work in a team were tested.
A not negligible part of the journey was presenting the region of Heilbronn-Franken and its companies to the young adults. “It was important for us to introduce their new home country to the applicants. Besides working conditions they were also interested in possible leisure activities.” explains Alexandra Waltritsch, IHK speaker for regional economic policy and keeping skilled workers. Dietmar Niedziella, head of vocational training at IHK Heilbronn-Franken adds “The two days were designed to make the young people enthusiastic about taking part in the project and picking up a dual vocational training in our region.”
Already on-site in Málaga the applicants were picked and will soon receive information on whether they were chosen or not, as already on February 16th German courses will start in the language school of the Kolping Bildungswerk. At the beginning of July the new apprentices will then arrive for an introductory week and a six week internship. We at BASS are already looking forward to welcome our two new trainees.
