Making a Smooth Transition – Information about School and Work for New Immigrants Making a Smooth Transition Introduction Dear Sir or Madam, “Education is the key to integration” – you may already have heard these or similar phrases since your arrival in Germany. And in fact, it is very important to get to know and understand the German education system with all it has to offer in terms of training, continuing education and further development in order to be able to gain a lasting foothold in Germany. As you have just arrived in Germany, we want this brochure to help you and your children learn about the important contact centres and advisory services. Integration through education only succeeds if all the relevant parties work together and the supporting services are known. With our series of publications, we want to play our part in helping to support you on your way to a self-determined and independent life in our district. This brochure will inform you about your “smooth transition” in Esslingen district. It is intended to help you as parents feel at home quickly and easily. My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who has helped to produce the brochure. Katharina Kiewel Head of Social Services Dieses Vorhaben wird aus Mitteln des Bundes- ministeriums für Bildung und Forschung gefördert. The project is supported by funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. 2 Transition from School to Work 3 Übergang Schule – Beruf 2 Übergang Schule – Beruf 3 Tables of Contents 06 1. School education 26 5. Financing opportunities during the training 06 ▪ Recognition of school-leaving qualifications 28 ▪ Education and Participation (BuT) 07 ▪ Recognition of school-leaving qualifications for university entrance qualifications 29 ▪ Vocational Training Assistance (BAB) 08 ▪ School attendance in Germany 30 ▪ Training Assistance Act (BAföG) 31 ▪ Other financing opportunities 12 2. Vocational training 32 6. General advice 13 Company-based training ▪ 16 ▪ School-based training 40 7. Advice on the recognition of 17 Overview of vocational schools ▪ qualifications 42 8. Advice on training/ vocational orientation 60 Information / links 19 3. Universities 20 ▪ Overview of universities 21 4. Other ways into work 22 ▪ Recognition of vocational qualifications 23 ▪ Language qualifications 25 ▪ Work placements, internships and entry-level qualifications 25 ▪ Measures offered by the Job Centre and Employment Agency 4 Transition from School to Work Transition from School to Work 5 1. School education You should provide proof of formal school-leaving qualifications in Germany. You can arrange for a previously acquired school-leaving qualification to be recognised in Germany or acquire a German school-leaving qualification. Recognition of school-leaving qualifications If you have acquired a school-leaving qualification abroad, this can be recognised by the Recognition Office (Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle) at Stuttgart Regional Council (Regierungspräsidium). The application form and the Exemption from Costs Form can be found on the homepage of the Regional Council. Recognition of school-leaving qualifications for university entrance qualifications Do you want to study at a university and have you already acquired a school-leaving qualification abroad? Then you need a university entrance qualification. If the foreign education qualification is not deemed sufficient for direct admission to a programme, you can attend a preparatory college at a German university. It usually ends after one year with the so-called assessment exam. After successfully passing the exam, students can study the subjects corresponding to the core content of the course at the preparatory college anywhere in Germany. Your chosen university will inform you how to acquire a university entrance qualification and the requirements Recognition Office you need for the chosen study programme. Stuttgart Regional Council Advisory opportunities in the district of Esslingen and Ruppmannstraße 21 Stuttgart can be found in sections 6 and 7. 70565 Stuttgart Phone: +49 (0)711 / 904 - 17 170 E-Mail: [email protected] Scan the QR code for further informationLink to the websiteon this topic 6 Transition from School to Work Transition from School to Work 7 Registration Primary school catchment areas apply for children up to 10 years of age. The child must be registered directly with the relevant primary school for their place of residence. If the relevant primary school does not offer a preparation class (VKL), a school transfer request must be submitted so that the child can switch to a primary school with a preparation class. In the case of first-year school students, the child should School attendance in Germany be accepted directly into the normal class if possible. If no school-leaving qualification is available, it is It is possible to register 10 to 15-year old school compulsory that children and young people attend students directly at a chosen school. The chosen school up to 18 years of age. Young immigrants can school has the sole decision on whether your child attend a vocational school up to 20 years of age. will be accepted. Children and young people up to 15 years of age You can contact the State Education Office (Staatliches Preparation classes (VKL) in schools are set up for Schulamt) in Nürtingen if you have any questions. children and young people up to 15 years of age, who They can discuss and advise you on the possible have very poor or no knowledge of the German education path. language. Here they learn German before they are taught in the normal classes. If the chosen school does not offer preparation classes, the children can be accepted directly into the normal classes in individual cases. If the children and young people already speak sufficient German, they can also be accepted immediately into a normal class. State Education Office in Nürtingen Marktstraße 12-14 Poor Attend the Transfer to 72622 Nürtingen language preparation the normal Phone: 07022 / 26 299 - 0 skills class (VKL) class E-Mail: schulamt-nuertingen.de Coordination Office for new immigrants Good Attend the normal class Herr Schäfer language School-leaving qualification 6-15 years of age Arrival in Germany skills Phone: +49 (0)7022 / 26 299 - 59 E-Mail: [email protected] Scan the QR code for further informationLink to the websiteon this topic 8 Transition from School to Work Transition from School to Work 9 Young people and young adults VAB From 15 to 21 years of age If they have good knowledge of German, the young VABO people and young adults are accepted into the pre-qualification year for a profession/work (VAB) at Young adults from 15 to 21 years of age with no or vocational schools. Here they receive vocational poor knowledge of German are usually taught in orientation in addition to subject-based teaching. VABO programmes, a pre-qualification year for a The young people can acquire a school-leaving profession/work for students with no knowledge of qualification when they successfully pass certain German) at vocational schools. The young adults additional exams during the VAB year. primarily learn the German language in the VABO classes. Registration for VAB Registration for VABO Registration for the VAB year is made directly with the An application must be submitted on the website of chosen vocational school. the Käthe Kollwitz School to register for a VABO programme. The Käthe Kollwitz School organises the distribution of young adults among the different Poor VABO classes in the Esslingen district. If all available Attend the Attend the language places are occupied, they are initially placed on a VABO class VAB class skills waiting list. Currently, the rule is that young people up to and including 17 years of age will receive a Good place in a preparation class through the Coordination language Attend the VAB classes School-leaving qualification Arrival in Germany Office of the State Education Office if free places are 15-21 years of age skills still available. Käthe Kollwitz School Office for Vocational Schools (Geschäftsstelle der Beruflichen Schulen) in the Esslingen district Steinbeisstraße 17 73730 Esslingen am Neckar Phone: +49 (0)711 / 36 07 - 400 E-Mail: [email protected] Scan the QR code for further informationLink to the website on this topic 10 Transition from School to Work Transition from School to Work 11 2. Vocational training In Germany, you usually complete vocational training before you practise a profession. A distinction is made between two types of vocational training: company- based training and school-based training. It is advisable for new immigrants interested in training with a language level of B1 to seek vocational advice at the Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit). Company-based training Company-based training or dual training consists of two parts: one part of the training takes place within the company and the other part is in a vocational school. The company takes on the practical side of the training and the vocational school provides the students with the theoretical knowledge. The dual training usually lasts for 2 to 3.5 years. Initially, the company and trainee must enter into a training contract. The company then arranges the registration at the vocational school. Requirements a) People with a temporary residence permit A permit for a training contract is required from Vocational Advice Service (Berufsberatung) the immigration authorities. The permit may be at the Employment Agency granted under certain conditions, such as a stay of Plochinger Str. 2 at least 3 months in Germany and the necessary 73730 Esslingen knowledge of German for the training. Phone: +49 (0)800 / 45 55 500 People from safe countries of origin who applied for E-Mail: [email protected] asylum after 31.08.2015 may not take up training. Scan the QR code for further informationLink to the websiteon this topic 12 Transition from School to Work Transition from School to Work 13 Contact details for the immigration authorities b) People with temporary suspension of deportation status Esslingen am Neckar Municipal Authorities A permit for a training contract is required.