After 240-hours of theoretical and practical learning and six months of on-the-job training, 11 employees of GPCCI member company German Excellence Solutions, Inc. (GES) were awarded with their AHK Certificates for Localized Dual Vocational Training modeled after German Standards. “A good balance between theoretical and practical training is key to achieving the cleaning quality we expect from our employees,” said Andreas Enkelmann, initiator of the structured in-house training which has been developed in close cooperation with the German Fürstenwalder Aus- und Weiterbildungszentrum gGmbH. Since 2016, Enkelmann partners with GPCCI to be a third-party independent quality assurer, overseeing the written and practical examination of the future professional cleaners.
Dr. Bodo Goerlich, Vice President of GPCCI, emphasized the importance of skills certification during the hand-over ceremony in January 2019. “These certificates attest that you are professionals at what you do,” he said. “It is proof of your skills training and that you have successfully passed your examinations,” he added.
Maricel Dungca is one of the employees to receive her certificate. “We are very thankful for GES and the Chamber for this one of a kind opportunity,” she said. “Especially gaining this certification at my age, GES gave me hope and opportunity to learn and work with their company to become a Cleaning Professional,” she explained.
Dungca is part of the second batch trained by GES and more batches are planned for this year. Even an extension into Industrial Cleanings are currently under conceptualization. For GES, training is a long-term strategy. Last year, the company invested in the training of a DIHK-certified in-company trainer (Ausbildung der Ausbilder) conducted by GPCCI to ensure quality in-house training.