Eigenbetrieb Kindertagesstätten Offenbach (EKO) at the Job Aktiv fair

"Ready when you are!" is how the Eigenbetrieb Kindertagesstätten Offenbach (EKO) uses its new advertising cards to recruit skilled workers for the 29 municipal daycare centers. The cards were used for the first time at the Job Aktiv fair last weekend in Offenbach.

"We were amazed at how popular and how much interest there was in the profession of educational specialist," says Annette Gork, deputy operations manager at EKO. "Around 70 consultations were held, a lot of information was exchanged, the profession and the entry options for training were explained."

The shortage of skilled workers is not a new phenomenon, but new ideas and approaches are needed to counter it. "The target group on this day was primarily people who want or need to break new ground in their careers," says Mayor Sabine Groß, who was there in person and also recruited people interested in this career field. Groß sees lateral entry as a huge opportunity. "People who are already in the middle of their lives and have already learned a different profession, which may not yet be recognized as a skilled worker in our country, are a target group with a lot of potential and skills."

The EKO has been supporting and promoting young people since 2018 via the Weiter.Bildung! (formerly WeGebAU) program with the Federal Employment Agency to help employees become skilled workers. With an allowance as part of the Weiter.Bildung! program, the municipal agency ensures that this target group in particular has sufficient financial security to be able to take up training again.

The focus here is particularly on people with migration experience, most of whom have acquired their educational and professional qualifications abroad and work in the EKO to support the daycare center operations and the specialist staff. For this reason, they are initially recruited to work at the EKO and the newly recruited employees are then given the opportunity to get started. The EKO's Women's and Equal Opportunities Officer, Anja Engelhorn, has been supporting this project for years.

In addition to advice, the company now also offers other support options, such as language courses, which are financed by the company so that employees can meet the requirements for the technical college.

"The special thing about this is that we set the course times together with the participants so that we can take into account the working hours and family responsibilities of many of them. Especially in a company where more than 90 percent of employees are women, it is important to keep an eye on the compatibility of family and career or training and to actively work on opportunities for qualification," reports Anja Engelhorn from her experience of many consultations.

It seems certain that this was a successful campaign. Subsequently, concrete entry opportunities are now being examined with those interested. The professional biographies range from skilled trades and traditional service professions to artistic, creative professions. Other interested parties can contact the municipal company directly if they would like advice on starting a pedagogical apprenticeship. The training coordinator Ann-Kathrin Hinz will be happy to help. You can contact her by e-mail at ann-kathrin.hinzoffenbachde or by calling 069/ 8065-2993.