The Federal Government has launched the “Secure Training” program. The optician Ranke in Stendal uses the funding.
Stendal l Training in particular secures young people’s professional future and is at the same time an important building block in their careers. However, the effects of the corona pandemic can jeopardize the start and completion of training. Some companies are financially at their limit and cannot afford apprentices.
In order to secure training in this case, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS), together with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), launched the federal program “Secure Training”. Companies with up to 249 employees are to be supported with around 500 million euros. The optician Jens Ranke from Stendal took advantage of the funding last year for his two new trainees. Volksstimme spoke to him about the project during the nationwide “Training Week”.
For the current training year, he hired not just one but two apprentices last summer. His company currently has nine employees and four trainees. However, the program was not the decisive criterion for this decision, clarifies Jens Ranke. Rather, “the shortage of skilled workers forced him to focus more on his own training,” he explains. When he found out about the funding from a circular from the Chamber of Crafts, the decision for two trainees had already been made.
Bonus for every contract
With the help of the program he received a total of 6,000 euros from the government. Ranke took advantage of the “training bonus plus” for this. This takes effect when a company takes on more trainees than the average in previous years. So he receives 3000 euros for each contract. Ranke doesn’t have to repay the money. Especially in the current Corona period, which is characterized by a lot of uncertainty, he thinks the funding program is great. He applied for the money from the Federal Employment Agency, says Ranke.
With applications that you normally have to fill out for the Federal Employment Agency, you immediately imagine a lot of paperwork. But that was not the case here: “Compared to other funding programs, I would describe the effort as rather low,” says Ranke, looking back. “You can upload the application forms via the website of the Federal Employment Agency, and you will also receive helpful explanations for filling out.” The business has been training prospective opticians since 1973.
One of his trainees is 19-year-old Anna Wille from Stendal. She started her apprenticeship last year. After graduating from high school, she made a conscious decision to take this apprenticeship because the job is exciting and varied for her. On the one hand, Anna Wille comes into contact with customers and, on the other hand, works in the workshop and learns to cut glasses. She has been wearing glasses herself for a long time and that’s how she came up with the idea of learning the trade, she says.
Vocational school in Magdeburg
The training lasts three years. In addition to her daily work in the shop, she attends the vocational school in Magdeburg for two weeks every six weeks. There, the young professionals get an insight into various fields of learning. A lot is covered, from refraction of light, reflection, communication with customers to the youth protection law. Because Anna has a general university entrance qualification, she does not have to take math, German, sports or English. The economic part of the future master is integrated into it.
In addition, the young woman is preparing for the practical test at the Chamber of Crafts in Dresden. There, the apprentices are brought up to the level of glass grinding by hand, says Marlen Lange, an instructor at Optik Ranke. The 28-year-old trained as an optometrist after her master’s degree. This area deals with eye health and primarily what happens in the eye, explains Lange. “It’s a journey through the eye.”
She also made a conscious decision to pass on her passion for the job. She has pursued this goal since her own training. In her position, she acts as a contact person for the trainees and the other colleagues at the same time. That works very well, too, knows Jens Ranke.
An apprenticeship position is being filled
Marlen Lange will look after a new trainee again this year. In the selection process, “we are on the home straight and have someone in our eye,” reveals Ranke. If you still want to apply, you should do so quickly.
It is still unclear whether the company will benefit from the funding program again. It is under discussion whether the premiums for the new training year will be doubled. It will also be decided whether companies with up to 499 employees can apply for bonuses. Jens Ranke advocates a continuation. “Because the framework conditions have tended to deteriorate as a result of the pandemic,” he explains.
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