Junge Mutter: Ausbildung im Traumberuf

Young mother: dream job training

Excerpt from the WAZ dated November 19, 2008

 

Schwelm. "It was quite difficult at first. It took time to get used to and it was a bit demanding, too ", Jasmin Wenzel says. "But I am grateful and happy to be able to do this training".

 


The 25-year-old has found her dream job: lathe operator in the Schwelm company "Henning GmbH". She is very welcome as a trainee: "Mrs. Wenzel has made a practical training in our shops and convinced everybody with her enthusiasm and skills", the chief executive Dirk Henning continues. "It proved to be an excellent decision to allow her to make a training in our company ".

 

The decision to accept the challenge has not been an easy one for Jasmin Wenzel. "I have a little boy who needs to be taken care of. I would not have been able to take on a full-time training, a seven-hour working day." Instead the young mother is now a part-time trainee in the first year. "A lot of companies shy away from using this term because they believe that I am only working four hours a day", Jasmin Wenzel is reporting about the experiences she has personally made. "I am actually working six hours a day and have the same duties like all other trainees. I simply have to do them in less time."

 

The first training year concentrates on the theoretical part which she has to complete with the Südwestfälische Industrie- und Handelskammer (SIHK – Chambers of Commerce and Industry) in Hagen. "In August 2009 I shall tackle the two practical years of training in Schwelm ".

 

It is not only the financial income that is secured by her on-the-job training, Jasmin Wenzel explains. The regular daily routine which the training involves is especially beneficial for the child: "Early in the morning I bring my son to the nursery school, drive to work and collect him after finishing work ".

 

As she was looking for an appropriate traineeship, Jasmin Wenzel benefited from the assistance of the Federal Employment Agency in Hagen and the SIHK. "We are specialized in promoting young people who for personal reasons were unable to finish a training ", Regine Bleckmann, officer responsible for the equality of opportunities on the labour market of the Federal Employment Agency, explains. According to Regine Bleckmann personal reasons for example include the nursing of family members or - as in the case of Jasmin Wenzel - a parenthood.

 

"In many companies the term part-time training is still little known. What we are doing is more or less a PR job aimed at allowing young parents to make a professional and hence also a social career", Regine Bleckmann continues.

 

A network was used to establish contacts. "We regularly meet and exchange information and experience in a working group established by the Gesellschaft für Stadtmarketing und Wirtschaftsförderung Schwelm (GSWS – Association for Urban Marketing and Economic Support)", Peter Frese, SIHK head of domain, explains. In co-operation with the labour office he was told that Jasmin Wenzel was looking for a part-time training as a lathe operator in Schwelm. "I told Mr. Henning about this and so everything gathered momentum", says Peter Frese.

 

For Jasmin Wenzel who together with another 30 young mothers accepted the labour office’s offer, this has been a stroke of luck. "Even if the family-thing proved to be a bit strenuous at first, in the end I have found the job of my dreams".

 

If you want to learn more about a part-time professional training please contact Regine Bleckmann, phone 02331 / 202-237 with the labour office, or Peter Frese, phone 02331 / 390-261 with the SIHK.