Print version Recommend this page Press release
23/ 2012
Bonn, 29.05.2012
On the client s side: the new "Specialist in Labour Market Services" qualification
The newly introduced training occupation of "Specialist in Labour Market Services" incorporates the latest reforms to statutory unemployment insurance, and more importantly, a much stronger emphasis on customer orientation. Those who qualify as Labour Market Services Specialists in future will advise and support people needing help in choosing a career, finding work, dealing with welfare benefit and childcare decisions, drug or debt problems, and claiming family benefits. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), acting on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs, coordinated the development of the new three-year initial vocational training programme in a process which involved experts from the Federal Employment Agency (BA), the Federation of Municipal Employers Associations (VKA) and the United Services Union (ver.di).
The need to modernise the training occupation arose after new organisational models were introduced, internal services centralised and tasks reformed by Social Code legislation. This new vocational training programme replaces the former qualification of Specialist in Labour Promotion, which dates from 1999.
A central emphasis of the new occupational profile is on customer orientation. In future the work will focus primarily on dealing with enquiries and managing a case load independently, for which it is essential to know the statutory rules in detail. After the data of job-seekers and people who register as unemployed has been recorded, with due regard for all legal safeguards, their claims for financial benefits are processed. Labour Market Services Specialists will also take responsibility for internal duties relating to personnel, finance and controlling. The relevant framework curriculum for use in part-time vocational schools was designed to be action-oriented so that it complements the new style of practical initial vocational training in the public services.
Specialists in Labour Market Services will mainly be employed by public employment agencies, joint local authority and employment agency establishments, and in authorised local authorities and family insurance funds, where they can be assigned to client care and service departments.
This occupation always attracted brisk interest under its previous designation of Specialist in Labour Promotion, and around 1,100 new apprenticeship contracts were concluded in 2010. The proportion of female apprentices was around 73%. BIBB expects the modernised occupational profile to make this training programme even more appealing.
Further information (in German) at www.bibb.de/de/55250.htm (in German)
Contact person at BIBB: Martin Elsner; e-mail: elsner@bibb.de
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