"Gemeinsam in die Ausbildung" (GidA) was a model project in the field of training that the Otto Benecke Foundation e.V. has been testing since November 2016 in cooperation with craft training centers in Duisburg, Recklinghausen and Gera (until December 31st, 2018) according to the holistic approach "Everything from a single source and under one roof" in various regional economic contexts. The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) was the funding body.

With the support of the project partners, young Germans without initial training and young refugees were jointly preparing for training in the skilled trades. School lessons including language courses and daily practice in the training workshop created the conditions for successful vocational training.

"Everything from one source and under one roof"

The training centres played a central role in project implementation. They were enabled to overcome the regular succession of language courses, integration offers and vocational qualification with different providers in favour of a productive coexistence of these measures. This approach addressed a central concern of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the context of their efforts to secure skilled workers and made a concrete contribution to overcoming the various recruitment and skilled worker problems.

"Training preparation and accompanying training support

The project focused on the custom-fit placement in a dual vocational training at the local crafts enterprises. To this end, the implementation steps of the integrated measure concept already included the pre-selection of suitable participants and extended to follow-up support during the training. The companies and trainees were accompanied during the training period and supported by flanking offers, which consequently significantly promoted training success and significantly reduced training drop-outs. With follow-up approval since 2019, the mostly young refugees and disadvantaged young people were accompanied during their training until they completed their training at the project locations in Duisburg and Recklinghausen.