Since spring, Himmel Antriebstechnik GmbH & Co. KG and the Gescher Comprehensive School have been official cooperation partners for the “School-Business Partnership” project of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) Nord Westfalen.

This cooperation was agreed  before the lockdown started and was signed by Nina Lütkenhaus (Management) and Mr. Manemann-Kalabis (School Headteacher) before representations of the company, the school and the IHK. In the district of Borken there are a total of almost 120 such agreements now in place.

The main aim of the IHK’s project is provide help to students in selecting a career as well as support companies in finding suitable junior staff. “The key to success is meeting people in person: students discover their interests and the company find talents that are worth fostering”, explains IHK project officer Melanie Vennemann.

The company invites students and teachers from Gescher comprehensive school to visit the premises so that they can gain insights into working and production processes and find out about the training opportunities available. Physics and technology lessons are enhanced with content relating to the industry, thus providing relevant links to the real world. HIMMEL apprentices also visit schools as IHK apprenticeship ambassadors to provide students with information about what is available to them.

Faced with the palpable lack of skilled professionals, Nina Lütkenhaus emphasizes the urgent need to ensure no talent goes undiscovered: “In order to ensure our company can continue to grow in a sustainable manner, we must start actively approaching young people to find, train and develop the skills of all the talented and motivated students we can.” This is the only way that a company can remain competitive, says Nina Lütkenhaus.

Headteacher Bernhard Manemann-Kallabis emphasizes: “The IHK project offers our students and teachers the chance to find out about businesses up close and to get excited about the training opportunities available that will promote a sustainable economy. Having personal contacts makes it easier for our students to find their way into a career.

Both sides are very much looking forward to this collaboration and are certain that everyone will benefit from it.