BiP – Practical training in Poland for
apprentices from Berlin

Skilled workers with international experience, and increasingly with knowledge about our neighbour, Poland, are in high demand within the Berlin economy. The mobility project BiP responds to this need. Young applicants, who completed a dual vocational education in hairdressing or the building-cleaner trade, as well as young people who were in a training course at a Secondary School and VET College of Higher and Further Training (OSZ) were invited to participate in a three-week internship in Poznan. The apprentices had the opportunity to put their theoretical knowledge into practice and to develop different working methods. An accompanying cultural programme and methodically excellent polish-lessons completed the internship program.

The aim of the project was to increase mobility as well as to improve vocational and social skills and competences of young people from Berlin during the initial vocational education. BiP was a sort of pilot project in the German-Polish cooperation in education. The profession building-cleaner does not exist in Poland and in this way it was therefore interesting for both sides to see how these occupational skills and competences can be taught and developed in the other country. The BGZ took over the overall management of the project. The necessary contacts and networking as well as organisational and formal activities were coordinated by the BGZ and the chamber of small business and skilled crafts in Poznan.