Report of the R.E.S.P.E.C.T.  Meeting in Ulm, Germany 24.06.04 - 28.06.04

The participants from Slovakia arrived in Ulm on Wednesday 23rd June.  Participants from the Czech Republic and Italy arrived on Thursday 24th June.  Only Máirín and CJ from Ireland arrived late on the Thursday evening, and were unable to attend the presentation by Volker Stahl and the dinner in the evening.

The German Education System

Volker Stahl gave an overview of the German education system.  Children in Germany start school at 6 years old, and attend Grundschule (primary school) from grades 1 - 4.  After the 4th grade, Grundschule teachers recommend children to either Hauptschule (modern secondary school), Realschule (secondary school) or Gymnasium (grammar school) based on academic ability, but parents have the final say in which school children will attend.

The Hauptschule (grades 5 - 9 in most states) teaches mainly the same subjects as the Realschule and Gymnasium, but at a slower pace and with some vocational courses.  This leads to part-time enrolment in a vocational school combined with apprenticeship training until the age of 18.

The Realschule (grades 5 - 10 in most states) leads to part-time vocational schools and higher vocational schools.  It is also possible for pupils with high academic results in the Realschule to switch to the Gymnasium on graduation.

The Gymnasium (grades 5 - 13 in most states) leads to a qualification called the Abitur, and prepares pupils for university entry.  The most common educational paths offered by the Gymnasium are classical language, modern language, and maths-science.

A recent development in the education system is the Gesamtschule (comprehensive school), and this type of school is only available in some of the states.  It arose out of the egalitarian movement of the 1960s, and takes the place of both the Hauptshcule and the Realschule.  Pupils of all ability levels attend from 5th - 10th grade.  Pupils who successfully complete the Gesamtschule up to 9th grade receive the Hauptschule certificate, while those who complete 10th grade receive the Realschule certificate. 

 All German children must attend school for 9 years, no matter what kind of school they go to.  For example, a pupil who drops out of a Gymnasium must attend either Realschule or Hauptschule until their 9 years education has been completed.  The whole education system in Germany is available free of charge to all children.

After Hauptschule and Realschule (at age 16), there is the Dual System - apprenticeship programme in company and vocational school for 3 years, or Berufschule (full-time vocational school).  Successful completion of an apprenticeship leads to a certificate in the trade or field of work.  For pupils who successfully complete the Abitur, third-level education is free, as no fees are charged at the institutes of higher / university education; however, pupils must prove through exams that they are qualified.

 On Friday 25th June we went to the Federal Employment Office in Illertissen by train in the morning, where we met Mr Rasmussen (Regional Director, Federal Employment Offices), Mr Simmler (Manager Illertissen Employment Office) and Mr Baumgartner, (PR Manager, Illertissen Employment Office).  Mr Rasmussen gave a presentation about the Federal Employment Agency and the economic situation in Germany.

The German Economy

There are many different industries in the German economy - medium and large scale companies.  Metal and electronics are the  most important sectors of industry to the economy.  The service industry is next important, followed by trade and fourthly construction.  Mechanical engineering is the most important part of the economy for the city of Ulm - Neu Ulm.  In these traditional areas, the rate of unemployment has risen, critically in the last 2 years.  The  unemployment rate in 2003 was -   6.2% in Memmingen;   6.9% in Bavaria; and  10.5% nation-wide  Currently the unemployment rate is 5.8% in Memmingen, 6.8% in Bavaria and 10.3% nationally, and is still rising.  This is due in part to a lack of orders / contracts for industries / manufacturing, a lack of security for some companies and jobs leaving Germany for countries where labour is cheaper.

 Long Term Unemployment

Of the unemployed in the Baden-Wuttemberg region, 28% are long term unemployed - approx. 3900 people per year.  Last year over 3000 people participated in re-training measures to find further professional training and then employment.  365 people started formal training in 2003.  75% found employment after formal training, and 50% of those got jobs with compulsory insurance cover.

 The Federal Employment Agency

The Federal Employment Agency is responsible for the unemployed population in Germany, and the unemployed should be supported to find training / re-training and then employment.   The Federal Employment Agency is structured on a regional / local basis, with 1 national agency;  180 regional agencies;  and 660 local branches throughout the country.  There are 10 regional directors.

 In Germany, unemployment benefit is 60% of a person’s former salary.  If the person was never in employment, he / she only receives social benefits, no unemployment benefit is paid.  People over the age of 50 and the disabled also get unemployment benefit.  People who resign from their jobs don’t receive unemployment benefit for 12 weeks.  Employers and employees have to work together with the Employment Agencies.  The services listed below are given in all agencies, to unemployed, employers, employees and the general public. The main functions / services of the Employment Agencies are - advice for clients & employers;  searches for employment / work placements; professional training (in co-operation with training agencies);  payments for insolvency;  and  payment of unemployment benefits.

 There are 27 agencies in the Baden-Wuttemberg region.  The agency in Memmingen covers 3 counties;   104 villages;   2477 sq metres, population of 463 192 (about153 000 taxpayers).  There are 4 branches, with 340 employees.  €235.6 million, or €500 per household, has been paid out in the last few years.  70% of the staff work on placements and giving advice to employers / employees;  6% are employed in the area of child benefit, 3% are in-company psychologists, and 17% are employed in administration.

Mr Simmler, Manager of the Illertissen Employment Agency Office, then gave us a presentation about the work of this office.  There are 15 staff employed in the Illertissen agency, including clerks who are responsible for payments / administration and those who are responsible for placing unemployed people.  The main aim of the office is to provide a service for the local labour market, both employers and employees, and to provide a service to the unemployed.  When someone registers as unemployed with the office, all personal and professional details are obtained - qualifications, knowledge, skills, previous vocational training etc.  Staff also try to find out the person’s career wish, what kind of job they would like to do.  However, often the wishes of the employee and that of an employer do not match, so staff will try to help employees with different measures.  The Employment office will work with other agencies. e.g. Profil-Kolleg, to overcome these difficulties.  As an example, the Employment Office and Profil-Kolleg have jointly created a training measure for unemployed young people, 25 years old and under, who have done some vocational training already.   This is the Employment Office’s third time working with Profil-Kolleg. 

Participants on training courses get paid an allowance and travel expenses - this is paid by the Employment Office.  Single parents get a childcare allowance also.  All participants get social security insurance paid.  The office also tries different training measures, working in co-operation with local companies to place unemployed people in companies for internships, usually for 2 - 8 weeks.  It is sometimes the case that after the internship the company will employ them.   Participants are paid by the Employment Office when undertaking training.   Financial help is also given for the first 6 months after employment is found - this is aimed at helping people to be independent and socially secure.  Companies get payments / financial incentives to accept unemployed people on internships, and to employ them afterwards.  The company gets 50% of the salary for 3 -5 months for hiring an unemployed person.  Employment Offices also try to integrate the disabled into the labour market, but this is difficult because of labour market policies and regulations in Germany.  There is a specific Department of State for disabled people.

It is essential for the Federal Employment Agency that they have the support of local training centres, Chambers of Commerce, Personal Service Agencies etc.  They also work with recruitment agencies, and if these agencies find jobs for unemployed people, they receive a bonus from the State.  Financial help is also available from the State for people who wish to start their own business.

Integration Seminar for Young Adults who Have Completed Internship Programmes

We then went to the Profil-Kolleg centre in Illertissen, where Jurgen Kahn gave a presentation about this programme.  The aim of the programme is to integrate young unemployed people under 25, who have completed an internship, into employment.  Participants should be actively job seeking, willing to be integrated into employment, no older than 25, and have completed an internship.

The first step is to analyse what qualifications participants already have, and then to develop individual training plans with the involvement of the participants.  These training plans are aimed at overcoming any difficulties participants could have for integration into employment using their skills, and the current working conditions within the regional labour market.  Topics covered in the programme include:

Nearly 50% of participants on current programme have been integrated in employment so far.  This has happened mainly through the temporary employment agencies.  Profil-Kolleg know that this success rate will rise, based on previous experience.

 Personal Service Agencies

After lunch we returned to Ulm.  There we had a presentation about Personnel Service Agencies from Heidi Kapanke and Birgit Kempter.  Because of the problems in the labour market, last year the Government introduced reforms.  The main points of the reforms are:

Personnel Service Agencies employ jobless people and support them in finding employment outwith the PSA.  This is done through hiring employees out to companies, and when there are no jobs / assignments for them, PSAs provide training.  This temporary work is used as a bridge to permanent employment.  The aim is not to repeatedly hire out a person to different companies (as with recruitment agencies), but to secure a permanent job.  The target group of PSAs are:

Clients must be over 25, with no vocational education, long term unemployed or threatened by long term unemployment.  PSAs also take on disabled / special needs, and the elderly.  Clients are assigned by the Federal Employment Offices.  The PSA receives a monthly flat rate payment from the Government for each jobless person they employ, and in addition a bonus for each person they place in a new job.  PSAs finance themselves through these fees and through income gained from hiring out temporary staff.  To date, 900 PSAs have been established all over Germany, with almost 35 000 jobless people employed by them.  The average integration rate in  new job is 30.5%.

Birgit Kempter then gave a presentation about the Fetscher & Stahl / Profil-Kolleg PSAs.  There are 8 PSAs in the Baden-Wuttemberg region.  Each PSA employs 2 personal schedulers and 1 administrator; and has a capacity of 30 - 50 unemployed people (300 in total in region).  They use special computer software - ZAS - which assist in organising data, preparing wage accounting, printing work contracts, carrying out statistical evaluations etc.  PSAs have internal websites, which contain master copies of texts, information e.g. law changes, internal changes.  Each PSA also has a scheduler board, so that it can be seen at a glance where all employees are.

Professional coaches do group presentations and 1-to-1 meetings.  The aim of these is to inform clients about important issues, get to know themselves, improve motivation and self confidence, placement coaching, and developing a personal target plan.  Client profiling and selection is a very important part of the work of the PSAs, for the following reasons:

PSAs in the region face difficulties in their work, including the economic situation, negative headlines, expectations of the Federal Job Centres, competition from other recruitment agencies etc., and employees having difficulties with placements.  However, their successes include 300 people being continuously employed, 130 people placed in companies to date,  motivation and reliability of employees is being tested, public expenses are being saved, and employees are being recruited for companies.

 A typical day of a staff scheduler at a PSA is as follows:
  8.00   staff sick calls / finding alternatives
   8.45            interviews
11.00  look through job adverts
11.30            employee calls, he has a job
11.45            reviewing assignment cards
12.00  lunch
13.00            criticism talk
13.30            company appointment
15.00            acquiring customers
16.50  order comes in

2 examples were given of successes for the PSA:  MR Christea, who had no vocational training and was unemployed for 13 months; began work as a kitchen help, and after a talk with the job coach, began to see things from a different perspective.  He now works as a cook.  Ms Fulchir, who also had no vocational training, is 47 years old, and was unemployed for 8 months, gained a driving licence for a stapler and now works as a stapler driver.

Marketing and Sales and Accounting Programmes

Kirsten Kodura gave a presentation on these further training courses.  Profil-Kolleg supports unemployed people by helping them gain better qualifications for the job market.  Often the unemployed have no profession, or social or technical education, and they need a commercial education to improve their chances in the current job market.  Currently, Profil-Kolleg offers 2 training courses in the area of commerce for participants.  These are the ‘Expert in Sales and Marketing’ and ‘Expert in Accounting’ training programmes.  Both courses last for 7 months of classroom-based study, followed by 2 months internship in a company.  The Unemployment Office pays for the courses.

Sales and Marketing

Although the course covers a variety of topics, the main focus is in dealing with customers.  Participants study the following subjects:

Accountancy

The major focus in this course is in dealing with figures and bookkeeping.  Participants study the following subjects:

To date, 75 % of participants have found jobs, in a variety of different industrial and trading companies.  All participants in both courses have got certification, and many are working in sales and marketing.  One participant is working at John Deer, the famous Swiss company.

Integration Seminar for Service Jobs for Young Adults

Harald Werts gave a presentation on this training programme.  Unemployment amongst young adults is a major problem in Germany.  This is a project-oriented, social and pedagogical measure to prepare and orient young people for vocational training.  Participants are between 16 - 22 and voluntarily attend the programme, which lasts for 8 months, with 2 internship periods for 6 weeks each.  The Federal Employment Office pays a weekly allowance to trainees, and the cost of the training programme.

This programme is aimed at young people who are socially disadvantaged, young people with vocational training deficiencies, school leavers, vocational training leavers, unskilled and semi-skilled young people, and those who need help with their career direction.  Participants who did not finish secondary school must attend a technical school for 1 day a week in addition to attending the programme.

The programme subjects are:

Participants must present their project to the class, and must also give a presentation using PowerPoint.  Also they have a project to create personal Internet websites and a website about the programme.  They have to keep a diary, for the seminar, and also for the internship periods which must be signed by someone from the company.

From a total of 27 participants on the current course, 7 have signed an apprenticeship contract, 4 will continue with further academic training, 4 are in training and pre-internship, 4 will have their apprenticeship contract decided during the internship period, and 3 still have no further training or job yet.  5 dropped out of the programme early for various different reasons.

Part-time Re-Training course ‘Informatikkauffrau’

Thomas Hammel gave a presentation on this course, which translates into ‘Information Technology Officer or Commercial IT Specialist.  The duration of this course is 3 years full-time as a youth trainee, 2 years full-time as an adult trainee, or 3 years part-time as an adult trainee.  Participants must have either the Abitur (A-levels) or Fachabitur (restricted university entrance), with good grades in Maths, English and German.  Previous experience of computers is preferred.  People are assessed to determine their competence before they are offered a place.  Participants are paid by the Federal Employment Office - the course costs €10,000.   Also, participants can pay for the training themselves if they are able to do so, and the National Service Fund will pay benefits for people who have completed their National Service.  Currently there are 13 women and 1 man on the training programme.  There are 25 hours of lectures per week.  Course contents are:

The first 13 months are spent in Profil-Kolleg doing classroom based training., followed by 15 months internship in the company, then 4 months of exam training (during which they spend 1 day a week in Profil-Kolleg), and a further 4 months preparing their project (which forms part of the assessment).  Exams / assessments include the individual project, which they must present to the course and explain terminology, and written exams in the following subjects over a period of  3 -4 days:

-        General I.T.
-        Specialist I.T.
-        Economic and Social Studies.

Successful participants get a recognised certificate which is validated by the Government and Chambers of Commerce.  Employment options after completing the training programme include consultancy, training, analysis of workflow and planning of I.T. solutions.

Project Meeting
The project co-ordinators from each country met in the afternoon to discuss project activities in the future.  The following points were agreed:

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Website

We had a short meeting about the project website, where it was decided that: