Step by Step - Other European Countries will benefit from Vocational-Schooling

Having to face a financial hardship with a high unemployed rate of a countries youth certainly shouldn't keep a country from developing new ways to keep their new generation of workers out of the gutter.

This article I found today in the German newspaper "Handelsblatt". Our Ministre of Labor, Ursula von der Leyen, supported the introduction of the in Germany common Vocational School System to unfortunately only a few young Spains - with much success. Since end of 2012 Spain sent 5.000 Student to join the German Vocational System via the "Mobility Program Europe".

The only difference is, instead of having "theoretical" School days twice a week accompanied with 3 days of practice at the company supporting the vocation training, this variant switches back and forth from a couple months of theory to practice. It certainly will give the students a better chance to focus on projects on the job better, however it seems to me that the theoretical matter won't be as current and applyable right away.

It is the first round of Students so I am excited how this ball will keep rolling. Staying tuned.

Aloha

The Interview-Travel-Expense Paradigm

Yay, the company you applied at called you up and you arranged an interview. Now the big question is: How to get there at low expenses?

Either way Travel-Expenses in direct connection to arranged Job-Interviews have to be paid upfront. Depending on you pre-existing budget (or not) you will have to find the smartest and cheapest way.
Here in Germany we have the by now well-known §670 BGB. According to this legal paragraph applicants can expect to have their Travel-Expenses reimbursed in proportion to the position applied for when invited to an interview. The problem is, however, as HR you have to rely on the Unit Heads to mention explicitly that resulting Travel-Expenses are NOT going to be compensated.

Now if it was up to me company policy regarding Travel-Expenses resulting from a Job-Interview a lump-sum should be given. The rest of the expenses can be usefully claimed on your taxes. This is by the way omething I always suggest my applicants when inviting them and I hear their mood dropping down from excitement to wallet-faint ;)

What do you think?

Aloha

Awesome! Pure Awesomeness!

So yesterday my facebook newsfeed showed me this post:

Deadline to apply: May 31, 2013
The Shawn Carter (Jay-Z) Scholarship Fund offers scholarship opportunities to any under-served student across the United States Please share.Scholarship Notification Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation APPLICATION DEADLINE is May 31, 2013 Eligibility Requirements Qualified applicants must be a high school senior, college student, and/or between the ages of 18-25, pursuing studies at a vocational or trade school. All applicants must be a US Citizen and complete the on-line application no later than the published deadline date, which is May 31, 2013. The Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation is unique in that it offers scholarships to single mothers, children who attend alternative schools, students who have earned a GED, students with grade point averages of 2.0 and students who have previously been incarcerated, etc. but desire a higher educational opportunity. This group is generally not the recipients of college scholarships and is typically ignored by the Board of Education. The Shawn Carter Foundation offers scholarship opportunities to any under-served student across the United States who desires a higher education. One of the key questions asked by the Foundation when students apply for a scholarship is: What are your plans to give back to the community?. CLICK LINK TO APPLY TODAY!!! http://www.shawncartersf.com/apply/


 This scholarship is open to the public.Please apply before the deadline May 31, 2013.

 I am very proud and happy this opportunity is given and I hope PLENTY will take this opportunity! It is awesome and will hopefully help a lot of families and young professionals!

Just one thing keeps me wondering. Why does it need a scholarship whena vocational schooling system can be without having to pay for the school!?

Aloha

Work-Life-Choice contents a Work-Nay-Life-Yay-Choice also

The part of getting to know personnel beyond their CV is what interests me the most in being an HR. Getting to know why they resigned even more. And more and more I found this very reason to be mentioned. Not BurnOut, not the people worked with, the atmosphere, nor the payment. It is the pressure created and based on the tasks that are challenging but mainly "consuming"! Having to take back a lot of the life part from Work-Life-Balance is widely accepted, especially in the time after graduating and self-finding. More and more however I found to talk to people who resigned even with having no job adding in sight at all. They all told me they love their job and the tasks but the amount and the pressure of dead-lines and co just over did it.

So I am asking myself often enough why a supervisor or boss is not seeing these decisions coming?! Why can't companies have an eye on providing enough resources or simply adapt their payment system in order to maintain a staff that is able to handle the workload without risking 12 hour work days?

While over 13 percent of sick-leave in Germany 2010 were declared as reasoned by the psychological issue of burnout companies are parrallel confronted with a rising resignation rate in people who just say Nay to spending 12 hours a day at their desk fulfilling every clients wishes even when it means to put their private life to the very back. And, frankly, I admire the grand courage by these (former)employées for their very reasonable decision.

With applause and admiration and a wish for companies to rethink resources!

Aloha