Successes and background information
The successful path to full recognition
If only some professional experience is missing for full recognition of the professional qualifications acquired abroad, this can usually be made up through a structured internship. Here, we present examples of refugees who, after completing an adaptation training program, were certified as fully equivalent to their professional qualifications. The people portrayed represent the people who were supported on their path to full recognition in the IQ predecessor project "Adaptation Training in Trade and Services."
Securing skilled workers in practice – the perspective of a medium-sized company
About a successful cooperation between the IQ project "Recognized & Competent" and the company Horst Busch Elektro-Technik GmbH
Skilled workers ensure innovation and competitiveness, growth and employment, prosperity, and quality of life. Securing the demand for skilled workers is one of the major challenges of the coming decades for stakeholders in politics, business, society, and science. In the KOFA (Competence Center for Securing Skilled Workers) study "How Companies Find Employees Despite the Skilled Worker Shortage," 92 percent of the companies surveyed stated that they were affected by the skills shortage. 41 percent even described their personnel needs as "urgent" or "essential." These companies may therefore no longer be able to fulfill certain tasks in the future.
One way to attract skilled workers is the IQ project "Recognized & Competent." It is implemented by the Association of Self-Employed Migrants (ASM) as part of the nationwide funding program "Integration through Qualification (IQ)."The project provides companies with skilled workers who are on the path to full equivalence in their foreign professions. This includes people who immigrate to Germany, especially Hamburg, and have already completed vocational training in their home country, a training program partially recognized by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (FOSA). The team supports and accompanies the participants on their path to full equivalence.
The Horst Busch Group is one of the companies that has recognized the potential of this project and has secured five specialists. Founded in 1976, the company offers services through five different, independent companies within the Horst Busch Group: Electrical Engineering, Planning, Human Resources & Technology, Alarm and Security Technology, Experts & Management, and Full-Service IT Support.
About a successful cooperation between the IQ project "Recognized & Competent" and the company Horst Busch Elektro-Technik GmbH
Skilled workers ensure innovation and competitiveness, growth and employment, prosperity, and quality of life. Securing the demand for skilled workers is one of the major challenges of the coming decades for stakeholders in politics, business, society, and science. In the KOFA (Competence Center for Securing Skilled Workers) study "How Companies Find Employees Despite the Skilled Worker Shortage," 92 percent of the companies surveyed stated that they were affected by the skills shortage. 41 percent even described their personnel needs as "urgent" or "essential." These companies may therefore no longer be able to fulfill certain tasks in the future.
One way to attract skilled workers is the IQ project "Recognized & Competent." It is implemented by the Association of Self-Employed Migrants (ASM) as part of the nationwide funding program "Integration through Qualification (IQ)."The project provides companies with skilled workers who are on the path to full equivalence in their foreign professions. This includes people who immigrate to Germany, especially Hamburg, and have already completed vocational training in their home country, a training program partially recognized by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (FOSA). The team supports and accompanies the participants on their path to full equivalence.
The Horst Busch Group is one of the companies that has recognized the potential of this project and has secured five specialists. Founded in 1976, the company offers services through five different, independent companies within the Horst Busch Group: Electrical Engineering, Planning, Human Resources & Technology, Alarm and Security Technology, Experts & Management, and Full-Service IT Support.
Katarzyna Rogacka-Michels (KRM): Mr. Gantenberg, in the Planning, Human Resources & Technology department, where you work, you provide skilled workers. How did the collaboration begin, back then with the predecessor project "IQ Hamburg – Adaptive Training in Trade & Services"?
Michael Gantenberg (MG): I remember that we met, in the traditional way, at the Marketplace of Encounters trade fair. The connection developed because we met at the fair, I believe, quarterly. We agreed that we shared the same interests in attracting skilled workers and retaining them long-term.
KRM: Horst Busch Elektro-Technik GmbH accepted five skilled workers into a training program, thus supporting them on their path to full professional equivalence. All five individuals were subsequently hired permanently. Initially as assistants and then as skilled workers in the professions of electronics technician for industrial engineering, electronics technician for building and infrastructure systems, and industrial electrician specializing in industrial engineering. What prompted you to make these decisions and to pursue such a personnel policy in general?
MG: Six or seven years ago, we sat down together and considered what we could do, as the skills shortage was already there. We said to ourselves, we already train a lot, and we increased our training numbers. We were looking for another pillar, and one of those was retraining, skilled workers as assistants who have partial recognition. We decided to support and test new employees with partial recognition. We've had very positive experiences with this. We now recruit around 20 people a year in total—whether through external testing, retraining, or your measure, partial recognition. Five or six years ago, we had the courage to do this, to test it, and it was the right path. It was a joint decision within management.
KRM: How did the collaboration on the project go? What support did you or the employees receive?
MG: I'd say we received support with all the bureaucratic aspects: When applicants had problems with the immigration office or with their housing situation, we received significant support so that the employee could truly focus on the subject matter. So that they weren't thinking, "What else do I have to do?" I need an apartment, I need to move out of this one room, etc. In terms of overall support, we received support with what the employer couldn't cover. When applying for recognition, the support is there to help us achieve our learning goals, what's missing, and to exert positive pressure on both sides.
KRM: On your company website, you state, "We have been providing reliable technology and competent service for more than 40 years." How do you assess the skills and potential of the newly immigrated specialists? Can they keep this promise in the future?
MG: Right from the start, you can see the differences in the skills assessment; that work is done differently in other countries. But we also recognize that the commitment and willingness to learn new things is significantly greater than what we are used to, for example, from training. The passion and desire to learn new things are completely there, and as a result, it is easier to work together. The aim is to resolve any small deficits that still exist within a few months so that everyone is on the same level and can work as usual in Germany. Our experience has been good. If we were to give a percentage, around 80 percent are actually going really well. Of course, there are one or two for whom there are more difficulties and it may not be the right career after all. But the majority have had a really positive experience in the company.
KRM: In your opinion, what are the biggest hurdles in finding competent and reliable staff or specialists?
MG: When we recruit new specialists from outside the EU, language is the biggest hurdle. But so are the language differences, for example, at the B1 level. We told the company that we wouldn't hire anyone below B1. But B1 is not the same, so we do see differences in educational levels. Many can speak clearly, some not at all. But both have the same certificate.
Added to this are lifestyle habits, for example, for us in Germany punctuality is simply a virtue. Other colleagues are also punctual, but then there are situations where someone has an appointment with the authorities and only tells us two hours before the appointment. Priorities are sometimes not set correctly. But generally speaking, back to the topic of finding competent and reliable staff or skilled workers. I rather believe that the skilled trades need a different lobby. We can all see that the economy grows through the skilled trades. We can also see from the outside that employees come and say they have lots of wishes, but that there are financial limits. In the skilled trades anyway, and there are hurdles that make the skilled trades not as attractive as other sectors.
KRM: The participants who came to you through the project come from the IHK FOSA professions sector. Is their attitude similar?
MG: Yes, there are industrial electronics technicians or electronics technicians for industrial engineering. They think, I'll go to the Airbus site, for example. The earning potential there is probably higher than if they work as a craftsman. Structurally, with 250 employees, we're already more heavily positioned in the skilled trades than 10-person businesses. They have an even harder time finding good staff. But then finding someone, where they have to invest in the language, the patience, and working through the gaps – all of that costs money. And then, if the employee is entitled to, say, the Mercedes salary, then it becomes difficult.
KRM: What advice would you give to other companies suffering from a skills shortage and not considering immigrant talent? Should they be suspicious of their skills or be hesitant about approaching them?
MG: I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, so more stay for us. No, just kidding. Germans are often like this: Anything new isn't good. It's not all that new anymore. You don't have to be suspicious. You just have to have the courage to try it out. And then you'll find truly loyal employees who don't look left or right, who want to integrate into the company long-term.
Michael Gantenberg (MG): I remember that we met, in the traditional way, at the Marketplace of Encounters trade fair. The connection developed because we met at the fair, I believe, quarterly. We agreed that we shared the same interests in attracting skilled workers and retaining them long-term.
KRM: Horst Busch Elektro-Technik GmbH accepted five skilled workers into a training program, thus supporting them on their path to full professional equivalence. All five individuals were subsequently hired permanently. Initially as assistants and then as skilled workers in the professions of electronics technician for industrial engineering, electronics technician for building and infrastructure systems, and industrial electrician specializing in industrial engineering. What prompted you to make these decisions and to pursue such a personnel policy in general?
MG: Six or seven years ago, we sat down together and considered what we could do, as the skills shortage was already there. We said to ourselves, we already train a lot, and we increased our training numbers. We were looking for another pillar, and one of those was retraining, skilled workers as assistants who have partial recognition. We decided to support and test new employees with partial recognition. We've had very positive experiences with this. We now recruit around 20 people a year in total—whether through external testing, retraining, or your measure, partial recognition. Five or six years ago, we had the courage to do this, to test it, and it was the right path. It was a joint decision within management.
KRM: How did the collaboration on the project go? What support did you or the employees receive?
MG: I'd say we received support with all the bureaucratic aspects: When applicants had problems with the immigration office or with their housing situation, we received significant support so that the employee could truly focus on the subject matter. So that they weren't thinking, "What else do I have to do?" I need an apartment, I need to move out of this one room, etc. In terms of overall support, we received support with what the employer couldn't cover. When applying for recognition, the support is there to help us achieve our learning goals, what's missing, and to exert positive pressure on both sides.
KRM: On your company website, you state, "We have been providing reliable technology and competent service for more than 40 years." How do you assess the skills and potential of the newly immigrated specialists? Can they keep this promise in the future?
MG: Right from the start, you can see the differences in the skills assessment; that work is done differently in other countries. But we also recognize that the commitment and willingness to learn new things is significantly greater than what we are used to, for example, from training. The passion and desire to learn new things are completely there, and as a result, it is easier to work together. The aim is to resolve any small deficits that still exist within a few months so that everyone is on the same level and can work as usual in Germany. Our experience has been good. If we were to give a percentage, around 80 percent are actually going really well. Of course, there are one or two for whom there are more difficulties and it may not be the right career after all. But the majority have had a really positive experience in the company.
KRM: In your opinion, what are the biggest hurdles in finding competent and reliable staff or specialists?
MG: When we recruit new specialists from outside the EU, language is the biggest hurdle. But so are the language differences, for example, at the B1 level. We told the company that we wouldn't hire anyone below B1. But B1 is not the same, so we do see differences in educational levels. Many can speak clearly, some not at all. But both have the same certificate.
Added to this are lifestyle habits, for example, for us in Germany punctuality is simply a virtue. Other colleagues are also punctual, but then there are situations where someone has an appointment with the authorities and only tells us two hours before the appointment. Priorities are sometimes not set correctly. But generally speaking, back to the topic of finding competent and reliable staff or skilled workers. I rather believe that the skilled trades need a different lobby. We can all see that the economy grows through the skilled trades. We can also see from the outside that employees come and say they have lots of wishes, but that there are financial limits. In the skilled trades anyway, and there are hurdles that make the skilled trades not as attractive as other sectors.
KRM: The participants who came to you through the project come from the IHK FOSA professions sector. Is their attitude similar?
MG: Yes, there are industrial electronics technicians or electronics technicians for industrial engineering. They think, I'll go to the Airbus site, for example. The earning potential there is probably higher than if they work as a craftsman. Structurally, with 250 employees, we're already more heavily positioned in the skilled trades than 10-person businesses. They have an even harder time finding good staff. But then finding someone, where they have to invest in the language, the patience, and working through the gaps – all of that costs money. And then, if the employee is entitled to, say, the Mercedes salary, then it becomes difficult.
KRM: What advice would you give to other companies suffering from a skills shortage and not considering immigrant talent? Should they be suspicious of their skills or be hesitant about approaching them?
MG: I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, so more stay for us. No, just kidding. Germans are often like this: Anything new isn't good. It's not all that new anymore. You don't have to be suspicious. You just have to have the courage to try it out. And then you'll find truly loyal employees who don't look left or right, who want to integrate into the company long-term.
Goal achieved: Jamal Alghadir's long journey to professional recognition as a skilled workert
"I didn't think it would be so difficult," says Jamal Alghadir, reflecting on his efforts to have his training in Syria recognized. The trained precision mechanic says it took three and a half years to finally receive his certificate of recognition at the beginning of 2020. The 41-year-old, who arrived in Germany in January 2016, graduated from Damascus with a technical high school diploma in precision mechanics. He then completed a three-year apprenticeship at an industrial college and then worked for 14 years as a precision mechanic and cutting machine operator in three different blind factories in Syria. There were several reasons why the determination of the equivalence of his foreign professional qualification took so long: starting with the difficulties of gathering all the final certificates and employment references with the help of his brother, who remained in Syria, and transporting them safely to Germany, to the question of who was actually responsible for the recognition process in his case.
Alghadir initially contacted the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Fosa), which is responsible for machining mechanics, which in turn referred him to the Chamber of Crafts, which is responsible for precision mechanics. "The Chamber advised me to take another two to three years of courses," Alghadir recalls. "My hair stood on end."
The skilled worker, who received advice from the Central Contact Point for Recognition (ZAA) and the precursor project to "Recognized & Competent" at ASM, again turned to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Fosa). The Chamber of Industry and Commerce then initiated the recognition process. "The clerk was very helpful, but I simply couldn't get one of my school certificates." He also lacked proof of employment from a factory, meaning that only eleven of his 14 years of work experience could be recognized.
However, Alghadir easily fulfilled the requirement to take a course on the digitalization of work after ASM helped him find a course. As part of the APQ project, he received assistance with preparing a resume, interview training, and support in finding potential employers.
The skilled worker, who received advice from the Central Contact Point for Recognition (ZAA) and the precursor project to "Recognized & Competent" at ASM, again turned to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Fosa). The Chamber of Industry and Commerce then initiated the recognition process. "The clerk was very helpful, but I simply couldn't get one of my school certificates." He also lacked proof of employment from a factory, meaning that only eleven of his 14 years of work experience could be recognized.
However, Alghadir easily fulfilled the requirement to take a course on the digitalization of work after ASM helped him find a course. As part of the APQ project, he received assistance with preparing a resume, interview training, and support in finding potential employers.
During a further, nearly three-month training course, project employee Hakim Chohbishat maintained contact with Alghadir, ensuring that the requirements imposed on him for full recognition were met. During the training, his current boss visited the course. Thanks to this contact, Alghadir was given the opportunity to work at Hein & Oetting Feinwerktechnik GmbH, which manufactures components for medical devices and the aviation industry. The two initially agreed on a one-month internship. Alghadir impressed with his knowledge and experience: Even before the certificate from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Fosa arrived in February 2019, his employment contract with the Hamburg company was signed.
At present, Alghadir is not considering returning to Syria. However, in the distant future, he could imagine working in marketing, for example, and commuting between the two countries.
At present, Alghadir is not considering returning to Syria. However, in the distant future, he could imagine working in marketing, for example, and commuting between the two countries.
The IQ funding program - Integration through qualification aims at the sustainable improvement of the labor market integration of adults with a migration background. The project "Recognized & Competent" is funded by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the European Union on the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus) promoted and by Federal Office for Migration and Refugees Partners in the implementation are Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Federal Employment Agency.
