Gisela Huber is the Managing Director of Schalt-Technik Huber GmbH. She regularly takes on JOBLINGE participants from Munich as interns and – after a successful internship and if the position is suitable – as trainees. In this way, she closes the skills gap in her company and gives young people a chance to prove themselves in their first job: Win-win.
Ms. Huber, what motivates you to take on young women and men with poor starting opportunities as interns or trainees?
On the one hand, we generally look less at grades and certificates when it comes to applicants and more at everything else.
With JOBLINGE interns, we not only receive a blank application, but also a personal assessment from people who have been in contact with the participants for weeks.
We have also had many positive success stories with JOBLINGE participants – in some cases with people whose certificates or CVs would not have led to an invitation at first glance – but who then impressed us with their commitment, attitude and practical work.
That is precisely the difficult thing when we “only” receive an application: We don’t know who is behind it, because all we have are these documents.
Organizations like JOBLINGE help a lot with their pre-qualification and assessment.
Would you say that you perceive a difference or added value when the workforce is more diverse?
I definitely see it that way, even if it is difficult to prove.
For example, we have employees from a wide range of countries represented and it works very well.
Personally, I am a great believer in diversity within the workforce.
Even if it is sometimes not so easy to get started.
Because everyone brings different values or beliefs with them.
But there are also huge advantages, for example in terms of language: When new employees start with little knowledge of German, we can always find someone who also speaks the relevant language and can then explain or translate in their mother tongue.
To be honest, diversity is no longer a nice-to-have – there’s really no other way: I don’t know how companies that are narrow-minded and don’t want it are recruiting their employees now. In my opinion, they already have a staffing problem or will have one sooner or later.
At JOBLINGE, we always want to uphold the attractiveness of vocational training. That’s why we would like to know from you as the managing director of a traditional training company: What can vocational training do that a degree course cannot?
One big advantage is the practical relevance.
You learn things that you can actually use.
What’s more, after an apprenticeship you already know your way around a company – a huge advantage!
In addition to the technical knowledge, you also have implicit knowledge: Who is responsible for what; who ticks how?
I also have the feeling that young people who complete an apprenticeship mature more quickly in terms of their personality and are perhaps a little further along after three years than students.
Precisely because they have already worked during this time.
And last but not least, you have an incredible number of opportunities and possibilities in many sectors.
I also like to employ people with training in management positions and would like to motivate everyone to choose this path.
