A new kind of bridge – From untrained hires to qualified staff

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A new kind of bridge

From untrained hires to qualified staff

Life doesn’t always follow a straight course – especially working life, which may entail a broken-off apprenticeship, a degree that isn’t recognized, or an unskilled job taken … The reasons for such twists and turns are many. And with the Employment Bridge, there is now also a good reason to obtain a professional qualification in a second run. Because at thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems, it is possible to do this without a cut in compensation. 

A recognized qualification from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK): for many people working without having completed a vocational training program, this isn’t a realistic goal. The financial hurdles are typically too high to return to formal professional training after a few years on the job, and the demands of daily life leave too little time to earn a qualification alongside work. Not so at thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems, however, a subsidiary of thyssenkrupp Materials Services that offers its employees the opportunity to truly make a fresh start. Here, an unskilled worker can enjoy further professional development – and become a qualified specialist, on a full-time basis and at full pay. The company is opening up this path in cooperation with the Employment Agency, with the so-called Employment Bridge – a program that allows employees aged 30 to 50 to obtain a recognized professional qualification in two years. But not only unskilled workers may take advantage of this offer; it is also open to people from other countries whose professional training isn’t recognized in Germany, and to employees who have worked in a job without a respective qualification for over four years.

Many of the participants broke off an earlier job training program or are working for us without a formal qualification. We want to support them with our new retraining program.

Sabine Scamoni
Head of Human Resources

From generalist to electronics specialist for operating technology

An example of just such a person is Michael G., a 39-year-old father from Oberhausen. Having worked as a machine operator in the area of slag management since 2007, he applied for a training in his desired profession, as an electronics specialist for operating technology. He didn’t previously hold a formal qualification. After leaving school with a secondary school certificate and doing his subsequent voluntary military service, he had joined thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems without occupational training – and stayed. “The Employment Bridge is a unique chance for me to pick up a professional qualification after all these years on the job – without even having to take a drop in pay,” G. says enthusiastically about his successful application. “It was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up.” To participate in the retraining program, he was relieved of all his usual job responsibilities for a period of 28 months, allowing him to focus fully on his instruction.

Next retraining round to start in fall 2023

With the last group of entrants having embarked on their new professional futures, we are thrilled about the employees currently applying to take part in the Employment Bridge. Successful candidates in this round will begin their retraining in the fall of 2023.