The German Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) successfully hosted the Opportunities in Germany Series: German Language Forum on the 9th of November 2024 at Raffles, Makati.
In partnership with Goethe Institut Manila, Pro-Recognition Project, Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH, and Gigamare Inc, the forum underscored how the German language transcends borders opening opportunities for educational and professional growth to students, professionals, and companies.
The forum was hosted by Mr. Jose Benjamin Mangubat, GPCCI Dual Training & Education and Special Projects Officer, and was officially started with the opening remarks from GPCCI Executive Director, Mr. Christopher Zimmer,
Mr. Jens Rösler & Ms. Barbara Pauli of the Goethe-Institut led the first half of the event emphasizing the role of learning the German language in building and fostering connections. They provided a glimpse of Goethe-Institut's commitment to building the capacity of learners by offering insights about Germany, helping them prepare for both personal and professional success.
Mr. Enrico Lobrigo from Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH continued the discussion on German language education by highlighting the importance of experiential and contextual learning. He stressed the need to incorporate practical learning into the curriculum for Filipino skilled workers, ensuring it aligns with real-world tasks.
Dr. Monica Fröhlich from German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) gave a comprehensive discussion of the educational pathways to Germany for both undergraduate and post-graduate opportunities. Her discussion stressed the significance of German language proficiency in accessing these opportunities and the challenge of degree recognition when pursuing education or work abroad.
This was followed by Ms. Kristina Silan of the ProRecognition Project elaborating on the process of skills recognition and bottleneck occupations in Germany. Attendees were walked through the process, from: identifying reference occupations, reaching out to competent authorities in Germany, to the application process, and what to do while waiting for results.
Ms. Arlene de los Reyes from Centro Manpower showcased their commitment to ethical labor migration, ensuring that their operations comply with the standards set by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and ensuring transparency in recruitment and accessibility of welfare and reintegration programs for Filipinos.
Ms. Lorna Campilan-Pan, a Pro-Recognition Officer and Goethe-Institut student, shared her journey of learning German. Born out of passion, she seized the opportunity to enroll in Goethe-Institut during the pandemic. Ms. Campilan-Pan has since honed her proficiency and now uses her skills to assist Filipinos aspiring to work in Germany through ProRecognition proving that the impact of language transcends borders in more ways than one.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Ms. Kristina Silan, the Dual Training & Education and Special Services Director at GPCCI. She expressed her gratitude to the speakers, partners, and Premium Partner, TUV Rheinland for their active participation in the forum. Ms. Silan also encouraged attendees to reach out to GPCCI and ProRecognition for any support they may need. Following her speech, participants had the opportunity to visit the booths set up by the event sponsors.
