Vocational training from and for immigrants
Dual vocational training in immigrant-owned companies
Seda Rass-Turgut
Translated by: Sarah Zimmer, English Language Services
Improving vocational training for young people with an immigrant background - along with getting immigrant-owned companies more involved in providing 'dual' vocational training (which in Germany combines part-time vocational schooling with practical work experience) - is a task that not only Germany is facing. Immigrants who run their own companies are particularly in a position to persuade young people with an immigrant background to undertake qualified vocational training.
The Coordinating Office for Training in Companies Owned by Self-Employed Immigrants (KAUSA) has the objective of fostering dual vocational training in immigrant-owned enterprises. Today, 31 regional projects aimed at boosting the number of enterprises providing in-company vocational training ("training companies") are networked under the KAUSA umbrella and nearly 3,000 training places have been generated as a result of these projects.
KAUSA projects start with a focus on the basic patterns of vocational training: A KAUSA project member first explains to a prospective training provider how young people would be trained in his company. These business owners (= prospective training provider) often find the idea of passing their knowledge and know-how on to the younger generation quite appealing.
The individual business proprietor's own experience with integration into German society plays a role in many cases. Sharing what one has achieved, being a positive influence, offering a chance to youths with disadvantageous starting conditions are just a few of the many reasons why company owners agree to provide in-company vocational training. There is also a growing wish among self-employed immigrants to recruit and train their own skilled workers so that they are a perfect fit for the respective company's needs. These business owners recruit youths who will constitute an additional resource for their company.
It is always important to analyse each individual case in detail. The consultants in KAUSA projects invest a considerable amount of time to bring the "right" youth together with the "right" enterprise.
Matching, as this is known, is the heart of the entire programme. Training managers stand available for duration of the training as well to answer any questions trainees or company owners may have. Training managers play a key role as mediators. This role requires a wealth of skills and competences: Mediation, knowledge of the vocational training system, close contacts with the relevant chambers and with organisers, funders and providers which offer, for example, assistance during training. Collaboration with schools and teachers is also enormously important.
Knowledge about cultural features and the role parents play is a key skill in this connection. Quite often, a youth's parents are also included to ensure that the youth completes his training.
More information about these projects is available at www.jobstarter.de/kausa.
