Training defies Corona | Rhine-Main

• fromAnnette Schlegl

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In the pandemic year, the employment agency, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Chamber of Crafts in the city and district of Offenbach have hardly fewer vocational training positions.

A technology company with modern, chip-controlled machines and 100 highly qualified employees – but still a 40 percent drop in sales since March. If you take the numbers of the training company Kegelmann Technik in Rodgau as a comparison, it is almost surprising that the training numbers have hardly decreased during the pandemic year in the city and district of Offenbach. Despite Corona and Lockdown, the majority of companies are still training. “We got away with it with a black eye,” diagnosed Thomas Iser, head of the Offenbach employment agency.

Together with those responsible at the Offenbach Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) and the Frankfurt-Rhein-Main Chamber of Skilled Crafts, he took stock of the new year of training on Thursday, which began in the middle of the pandemic. The trio presented figures: The IHK Offenbach has so far recorded 10.6 percent fewer training positions than in the previous year, but at the same time 138 new training companies were acquired. However, the hotel, gastronomy and tourism industries are severely affected by the pandemic, said IHK Vice President Hans-Joachim Giegerich, “and those who have to close will not train either”.

The Offenbach employment agency reported 2059 vacancies in this training year; in the previous year it was 2388. This corresponds to a decrease of 13.8 percent. Currently 103 registered applicants are still unplaced, said Thomas Iser, 67 were at the same time last year. Due to the corona, several hundred fewer young people found an apprenticeship this year and are attending secondary schools or vocational training measures to bridge the gap. “The aim for 2021 must therefore be to provide additional training positions so that these young people can get a chance,” said Iser. 35 training positions were not filled – compared to 235 in the previous year.

The skilled trades recorded 18 percent fewer training contracts in the entire chamber district by September. At the end of the year you will probably end up with a minus of 10 to 15 percent, said Florian Schöll, head of vocational training policy at the Chamber of Crafts. “The craft businesses were very reluctant at the beginning of the year. Only now has the demand for apprentices picked up. ”Nevertheless, there are currently 250 vacant apprenticeships in the 130 trades. Currently, many students are rethinking their choice of course in the context of corona-related virtual learning and instead tried their hand at craft. At the same time, the number of refugees is falling; This means that there are no longer so many refugees learning a trade.

Both the employment agency as well as the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Chamber of Crafts complained that it was difficult to come into contact with young people in Corona times. Training fairs and visits to schools are hardly possible, topics such as career orientation have been pushed into the background in the classroom, and internships are difficult to find. New formats will have to be launched for “matching”, the precise filling of apprenticeships – such as the digital trainee speed dating that is currently running.

Anton Honcharov, who trained as a precision mechanic specializing in machining technology at Kegelmann Technik, proves that good dual training opens up all opportunities for the future. Last year he was the third winner in the federal performance competition for the metalworking industry.

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