Skilled workers from all over the world: Recruiting made easy for companies

There is a shortage of skilled workers in Germany. The lack already leads to sales losses in many companies. This is why TÜV Rheinland Academy has developed a practice-oriented model with which it is possible to recruit qualified specialists from all over the world on time. The first automotive mechatronics technicians to work at Hyundai dealers in Germany will be coming from India these days. TÜV Rheinland Academy takes over everything that burdens companies. How does the process work?

Hardly any medium-sized company or group is satisfied with the recruitment of skilled workers in Germany. Depending on the study, up to 450,000 well-trained specialists are lacking each year, mainly in the STEM subjects, i.e., Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Since other countries in the world are much more consistent in their qualification of STEM, international recruiting is a sensible way for industries and companies to cover the shortage of specialists and to match demand and need perfectly. If only it weren’t for the lack of contacts to suitable applicants, the language barriers, and the associated bureaucracy to allow international specialists to enter the country. Just thinking about it might make some HR departments feel overwhelmed. Even though the law on the immigration of skilled workers has lowered some hurdles, specialized know-how is needed to organize the legal prerequisites for the migration of immigrants into the local labor market.

TÜV Rheinland Academy has now developed a model with which companies can meet their demand for skilled workers in a targeted and timely manner – without having to worry about the associated formalities and the sophisticated recruitment and qualification process – to overcome precisely these hurdles. Above all, they can be sure that the new employees actually meet the desired requirement profile.

The Academy is currently running pilot projects with various partners from the motor vehicle sector. The initial pilot project was launched at the beginning of 2019 to meet the demand for automotive mechatronics technicians at Hyundai Motor Deutschland GmbH. By 2022, TÜV Rheinland Academy is to recruit up to 250 specialists in India. The first 100 have already been won and are currently being prepared with their local colleagues for their deployment in Germany. The new employees commit themselves for at least 36 months. If an employee is absent prematurely, TÜV Rheinland Academy will fill the position again.

Good qualification and motivation of skilled workers

With the new skilled workers model, the client benefits from the expertise of TÜV Rheinland Academy in the area of competence development and from the internationality of TÜV Rheinland Academy in more than 26 countries. Cooperation within the TÜV Rheinland Group begins with a competent local recruitment process and continues through to integration management in Germany.
In the current case, the Indian branch of TÜV Rheinland Academy identifies suitable candidates on the basis of the requirements profile drawn up by the client. In India, for example, there are seven university degrees that are comparable to the occupational profile and competence profile of the local mechatronics technician. The shortlist will include applicants who speak excellent English and have at least two years of practical work experience. Together with the client’s personnel, TÜV Rheinland Academy conducts the first interviews with applicants. Besides, the candidates are thoroughly prepared both linguistically and technically for the future requirements in Germany. Via language schools and in future also by means of virtual language training, the skilled workers acquire language level A2 with a certificate and take the B1 examination in the first three months after arrival and are further qualified to B2 if required.
If there is a need for further professional training, the skilled workers to be placed are trained in the contents by TÜV Rheinland Academy with online learning that has been tried and tested over many years. The complete materials of the dual German vocational training as a mechatronics technician form the basis.

Complex procedures for professional recognition and entry

Once the mechatronics engineers have signed their employment contract, the TÜV Rheinland Academy team in India will continue to guide them through the process. Among other things, it prepares them thoroughly for the cultural and labor law conditions in Germany – supported by the team of TÜV Rheinland Academy in Germany. The German colleagues take care of the recognition of the Indian qualification certificates in this case and the residence regulations. TÜV Rheinland Academy has agreed with the Cologne Chamber of Crafts (HWK) on a procedure for the examination of certificates so that formal recognition by the decentralized HWK can take place quickly. Visas and other proofs, according to the recently passed law on the immigration of skilled workers complete the preparation for entry. By the time the plane takes off for Germany, around 30 documents per person will have to be processed, partially translated, and certified. This effort has already been standardized to such an extent that TÜV Rheinland Academy will be able to bring numerous specialists to Germany every month in the future if required.

It is still a pilot project, but it is starting off so promisingly that it will be extended to other countries in the international TÜV Rheinland network as well as other technical professions and sectors. Numerous other companies from medium-sized businesses and industry have already expressed a great deal of interest in the skilled workers model. Soon we will report on the progress of this project – the best thing is to come back soon.