Spanish apprentices master final exam

Stuttgart, Germany – The brand-new mechatronics engineers Marc del Arco Jassans and Juan Manual Cañadas Torres proudly hold their IHK certificates in their hands. After three years in Germany, they have finally succeeded. They are two of 38 young men and women from Spain who have successfully completed their apprenticeships at Bosch in Germany. In 2013, Bosch launched the southern Europe apprenticeship initiative to help combat high youth unemployment in the region by making additional apprenticeships available. “Accredited vocational training improves employment opportunities for many young men and women. Without sound qualifications, it’s difficult to launch a career,” says Christoph Kübel, member of the board of management and director of industrial relations. “We have all been inspired by the great personal commitment demonstrated by these young people from Spain.” Thirty of the former apprentices have decided to begin working for Bosch in Germany or Spain, while eight have decided to study or return home.
“Because we’ve had such a great experience, we have decided to extend our initiative with a second cohort, as youth unemployment in southern Europe is still high,” Kübel says. In Spain, for example, the youth unemployment rate is 36 percent. For the second round, Bosch has created an additional 75 apprenticeships.

Accredited vocational training improves employment opportunities for many young men and women.

Christoph Kübel, member of the board of management and director of industrial relations

Successful integration – a foreign country becomes a second home

It was with curiosity and excitement that 45 young people began preparing for an apprenticeship at Bosch in Germany in 2013. For them, it was a foreign country, far away from the social environment they were used to. They were all united by a common goal: “To learn something fun that provides good prospects,” Juan Manuel Cañadas Torres says. Before they started their apprenticeships, the young people took part in language training in Spain lasting several months and completed an internship in Germany. “The intercultural support, language courses, and mentoring from certified trainers and social workers during the apprenticeship are key factors in the success of the program,” Siegfried Czock, in charge of occupational training and continuing professional development in Germany, says. “This provides the young people with security and helps them to integrate into their social environment.”

“Prepare for the future” – creating prospects where they do not exist

“Prepare for the future” is another project aimed at providing young people with good career prospects. School and university students receive insights into the working world, and get to know more about potential job profiles and professional requirements. Bosch launched the “Prepare for the future” regional education project in Italy in 2015. In 2017, Bosch associates visited 340 schools, reaching 68,000 students. The feedback was so positive that, in 2017, Bosch began offering the education project in Spain as well. In 2017, Bosch was able to reach around 1,500 students during events at ten schools.