German visitors at Foyle Language School

The students are training to be office clerks, and have been selected to a special training programme by the coalition government of Germany. They attend the Office Administration Training Institutes in regions that face similar challenges to the North West of Ireland such as youth unemployment. Their schools gave them a month’s leave to visit Derry and find out how Northern Ireland organises vocational training for young people hoping to work in office administration.

The students have interviewed staff at the Job Centre, Magee College, and the Northwest Regional College. Kevin Pardeik says, “Everyone we interviewed was extremely helpful and gave us a lot of useful information. We really like the idea of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), because a financial incentive is necessary to keep young people in education.”

Julia Warnke agrees that students and apprentices here are well supported. “In Germany, it’s more a matter of doing your training, acquiring skills and becoming good at your job. Here in Northern Ireland we have been struck by the range of student services and support.”

The four young researchers have also noted that in Northern Ireland it generally takes a shorter period of time to become qualified. They were impressed by the positive attitude towards vocational education among teachers and trainees here. Kerstin Siemens said: “In Germany, the job centre tells you that you are unemployed and you have no choice, you have to train in something practical that will get you a job. Here, colleges really seem to offer a range of opportunities. It’s less prescriptive and there’s less obligation. I’d be very happy to study or train here.”

Chris Mac Bruithin, the Academic Director at Foyle Language School said: “We greatly appreciate help provided to our German visitors by our colleagues in local businesses, colleges and organisations. They have been very kind in participating in this project and really made this an experience our students will never forget. In Europe we can learn so much from mutual cooperation and working together to find creative solutions to issues like social deprivation and unemployment.”

The group returned to Germany on August 21. Fabian Pemp said: “We’ll be sad to leave Derry, but we are also excited to share what we have learned here about the importance of supporting young people while they train.”