Integration of skilled workers made easy
Attracting a skilled worker is also a growing problem for the automotive industry. By 2035, there will probably be a shortage of at least 1,000 automotive specialists per year. To prevent this shortage from developing into an existential risk for the company in individual cases, TÜV Rheinland supports large and medium-sized companies with its Global Expert Service which deals, among other things, with the integration of skilled workers. One of the first specialists placed by TÜV Rheinland was Jacob George from India. The 29-year-old has now lived and worked in Chemnitz in Eastern Germany for 100 days. For his colleagues and his employer, Mercedes-Benz car dealer Schloz Wöllenstein, the new specialist is already an asset – also thanks to the efforts of TÜV Rheinland.
Jacob George is still unfamiliar with the winter temperatures. In his homeland of India, it’s about 30 degrees at this time of the year. But there is no snow, he has only seen it in movies. As he now experiences it live here, the snow is entirely fascinating for him. However, the young Indian automotive mechatronics technician hardly has time for Eastern German winter magic. Because at his workplace – in the maintenance and repairs department at Mercedes-Benz Schloz Wöllenstein in Chemnitz – he is just getting started and is eager to get down to business. “I’ve always enjoyed working on cars, but fault diagnosis jobs suit me best,” admits Jacob George. He eagerly absorbs everything that colleagues or bosses impart to him in his daily work. However, what excites him is the excellent organization at a German car dealership and the availability of tools and consumables for work on cars.
“His already good German, is improving all the time as a result of constant practice, and he fits well into the team from a technical point of view,” says Dr. Rainer Zschocke, service manager for the passenger car division, in praise of the recruit. The work results and motivation of Jacob, who has committed himself to remaining loyal to this employer for at least three years, are so above average that the management already included him in the company’s e-mobility training program along with four other colleagues in mid-January.
A worthwhile new way to recruit skilled workers
Not only for Jacob George, but also for Managing Director Peter Andreas, the recruitment and integration of skilled workers of the automotive industry from India with TÜV Rheinland’s Global Expert Service is an exciting new stage in corporate employer marketing and recruitment. The company, which has 13 locations in Saxony and Bavaria, has numerous vacancies to fill. After many unsuccessful recruitment efforts in Germany, recuriting global experts was a worthwhile new avenue. Ultimately, TÜV Rheinland’s comprehensive integration services tipped the scales in favor of recruiting skilled workers abroad, including in India.
Clients benefit from the international network
The scope of services offered by Global Experts is indeed currently unique on the recruitment market – and can hardly be provided by HR departments in medium-sized companies. Skilled workers are recruited by TÜV Rheinland at its international locations with local colleagues, while clients in Germany benefit from the testing service provider’s global network. TÜV Rheinland also takes care of the integration of skilled workers. This includes applications and the recognition of foreign educational qualifications. Once experts have been recruited, they also receive professional training and comprehensive preparation for living in Germany. If required, TÜV Rheinland Academy also provides them with further specialized training. Once the Indian specialist has arrived at the German client’s door, not much can go wrong with a successful employment relationship. One would think.
Integration managers ensure a sustainable working relationship
But it could very well go wrong – for example, if the candidate cannot find the right way around thousands of miles from home and gives up. And that’s exactly what the Global Experts are also anticipating. Integration managers like Martin Jahn are another key advantage of working with TÜV Rheinland. He welcomed Jacob George when he arrived in Chemnitz and, like a good friend, accompanied him for the first 100 days as he settled in and literally arrived in Germany and at his new workplace. He takes Jacob George and other skilled workers from the Global Expert programm to grocery shopping, helps them set up their apartment, looks for a family doctor and dentist, accompanies them to the residents’ registration office, and finally explains the bus schedule so that they can arrive at work relaxed on their first day – and not be late or not reach their destination at all. This is how Martin Jahn supports the integration of skilled workers.
After the first 100 days with Jacob George, Managing Director Peter Andreas is very pleased that the first recruitment project with Global Experts has been so satisfactory so far. He can well imagine his company initiating such a model project at other sites as well. The new “German-Indian friendship” is also a benefit for the positive corporate culture at the Chemnitz site. Jacob George recently got to know German winter barbecue with his new colleagues, and he plans to return the favor soon with a dish typical of his country.
