The Chamber of Commerce and Industry celebrate the next generation. Impressive performance by young skilled workers in training and continuing education.
Whenever the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) for Upper Franconia sends an invitation to their recent graduates, they are more than happy to accept. The graduation ceremony for training and continuing education graduates from the region of Marktredwitz-Selb was held in the Selber Rosenthal theatre — and two ladies impressed in particular: Larissa Handke, certified business administrator, won the master craftswoman award. Sophie Kant, industrial management assistant, former trainee with Rapa and one of the top five in the examination, gave an impressive speech.
They are the best in their subject.
Dr. Laura Krainz-Leupoldt, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) committee for Marktredwitz-Selb and Vice-President of the IHK for Bayreuth, Upper Franconia, congratulated the newly-qualified skilled workers. Krainz-Leupoldt acknowledged their performances with huge respect. "They have been really committed, learned a lot of new content and have developed as individuals." The Chair thanked companies, trainers and superiors, teachers at the vocational schools and the voluntary examiners. She explained that they are the pillars supporting dual training — a form of training which makes Germany the envy of the world.
Krainz-Leupoldt assured the continuing education and training graduates that, following years of sacrifice, they can now look forward to respect and recognition as well as new opportunities for advancement and improved earning prospects: "They have done everything right, made an informed decision and invested wisely." To conclude with, Krainz-Leupoldt called on the graduates to take responsibility for themselves and to take on responsibility in companies.
Roland Schöffel, Deputy District Administrator, emphasized that young people have the right to go out and discover the world and to gain experience. He added that he also wished for the new career entrants and graduates to come back and help shape the region. Werner Gebhardt, member of the board of the IHK committee for Marktredwitz-Selb, compared professional life to a football match. He explained that in sport, as in a career, you need team spirit, the ability to accept criticism, and determination to "put the ball in the net". The retirement of the baby-boomer generation in the near future will represent a huge opportunity for today's graduates of vocational education and training and continuing education and training.
Of the 141 trainees, 140 passed the final examination, 53 of these were in the commercial sector and 87 were in the industrial or technical sector. Five graduates gained a top grade, a grade one, while 43 others achieved an average level within the grade two range. Bernd Rehorz, head of the vocational education and training division at the IHK, stated that continuing education and training was comparable with a bachelor's or master's degree. He explained that alongside the university degree, it represents the key to a professional career. "Equivalence of the title of master craftsman/women and a bachelor's qualification from a degree has been recognised by the OECD."
He added that, over the past 12 months, the IHK for Bayreuth, Upper Franconia, had paid out a total of €802,000 of master craftsmen/women bonuses. He explained that this financial incentive of €1,500 per person is of symbolic importance. This is because, explains Rehorz, that in doing so the Bavarian state government is demonstrating its commitment to vocational education and training and is enhancing its status, also in comparison to the academic pathway.