Schnellecke awarded IHK seal for excellent training quality

Wolfsburg, 14.02.2019: The automotive logistics company Schnellecke is top when it comes to training. This has now been confirmed by the "Excellent Training Quality" seal of quality awarded to the company by the Lüneburg-Wolfsburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). "We have been successfully training apprentices for many years," says Birgit Hinze, who is responsible for training.  "The fact that independent experts have now certified with the seal that we offer very good training is an outstanding distinction and confirmation."

The IHK has launched the seal as a building block against the shortage of young talent. The background to this is that more than one in three companies in the IHK district is unable to fill all of its training positions, according to the results of the IHK's 2018 training survey. "There are many reasons for this," says IHK consultant Heidrun von Wieding, but one thing is clear: "The better companies train, the more trainees benefit from their career entry. In the long term, this ensures that dual training becomes more attractive to young people."

Training marketing, process, framework conditions and contact persons during training and completion of training - five categories are decisive for the "Excellent Training Quality" seal. The first step is a self-assessment: companies have to answer 33 questions on the above categories in a quality check. How are training pay and working hours regulated? Is there a detailed training plan and clearly defined training managers? Do trainees receive regular feedback? Are there support programs for young people with learning difficulties and are trainees prepared for their final exams? It is also relevant whether the companies implement projects for career orientation and whether an exchange at home or abroad is planned during the training.

"The quality check gives the companies a structured presentation of the current status and thus an initial idea of where there may be potential for improvement," explains Heidrun von Wieding. If desired, the IHK training consultants then provide tips and assistance in the second step based on the self-assessment.

If, in the third step, the company wants to have its good training performance certified by the seal of quality, it has to stand up to scrutiny. Three independent jurors - an IHK training consultant and two external training experts - examine the answers from the quality check. If the check is successful, "Excellent Training Quality" is certified. A detailed final report with recommendations for action completes the process. The quality check and expert advice are free of charge; only when it comes to the audit are fees of between 700 and 1,400 euros due, depending on the number of trainees.

An investment that pays off, says training manager Birgit Hinze: "The requirements for apprenticeships are changing and this requires a different approach to training. We learned a few more things in preparing for the audit ourselves." The seal also helps to make excellent training performance visible: All certified companies are published on the IHK homepage at www.ihk-lueneburg.de/topausbildung. The companies themselves can use the certificate and logo of the quality seal in a promotionally effective way, for example in job advertisements or on the company's own homepage.

Soon the project will have an even broader reach - from now on the quality seal will be available throughout Lower Saxony under the name TOP AUSBILDUNG. "All of Lower Saxony's chambers of industry and commerce have agreed on a uniform procedure with the same criteria," reports Heidrun von Wieding, "and our concept has been successful.