ELHA trains employees

Together with the Federal Employment Agency, we promote specialisation in foreign languages.

Due to digitalisation and globalisation, English language skills are also becoming increasingly important in local companies. And in many different specialist areas. ELHA-MASCHINENBAU from Hövelhof has recognised this need and is enabling more than 40 employees to undergo further English training - with the Paderborn Employment Agency covering the majority of the costs.

"Internationalisation means that English is important in many areas of our business. We sell machines worldwide and our employees need to be able to communicate with customers," says Stefan Höwekenmeier, the team leader of the HR department at ELHA. In order to provide employees with the necessary qualifications, the company went in search of a provider of suitable English courses. This training provider was also found - and pointed out the possibility of funding from the Federal Employment Agency.

Together with Martin Krawinkel, employment mediator in the joint employer service at the Paderborn Employment Agency and the Paderborn Job Centre, the promotion was then set in motion: "The Qualification Opportunities Act enables us to also promote employees. And not just retraining, but also further training and qualifications. The amount and scope of the funding depends, for example, on the size of the company and the age of the employees. In this case, however, the conditions were right for 36 of the employees and we were able to get started," explains Krawinkel.

The course is a digital offering with very flexible, individually scheduled learning units. Employees from all areas benefit from the course, including Ufuk Özcan, who works as a programmer. "For example, I am also responsible for familiarising customers with our machines and their functions. If I then have to explain the programme structures to someone from Japan or China, it only works in English - and school English, where it is still available, is simply not enough," he reports. Dirk Adolph from the after-sales team is also taking part in the training programme. His language skills help him in particular when communicating with customers from third countries and when despatching the spare parts he is responsible for selling.

The teaching units and content are adapted to the needs of the respective employee, so that Dirk Adolph does not learn the same content as Ufuk Özcan. Managing Director Hans-Georg Liemke agrees that this is a good concept: "The concept is very flexible and offers a lot of room for manoeuvre. We see e-learning like this as an opportunity for the future." Further training would reduce inhibitions in international business, a benefit for the company.

Marie Strunz, HR Officer at ELHA, worked together with Martin Krawinkel to realise this project. She is also convinced of the added value of the sponsorship: "Of course, with 36 employees, it's quite a feat to get something like this off the ground - both for me and for Mr Krawinkel. A lot of things have to be clarified and prepared. But in the end, a large part of the costs that we as a company would otherwise have to bear ourselves are covered and our employees can continue their training. It's well worth it."

The training programme for ELHA employees will continue for several months. However, other companies that are interested in such and similar job-related further training programmes for their employees may also be able to receive funding. If you are interested, employers and HR managers can contact the Employer Service of the Paderborn Employment Agency at Paderborn.Arbeitgeber@arbeitsagentur.de or 0800 4 555520 or get in touch directly with their personal contact at the Employer Service so that the individual options can be checked.

Text source: Paderborn Employment Agency - OWL Press Office

Photo: Employment Agency (Martin Krawinkel from the Employment Agency, Ufuk Özcan, Marie Strunz, Stefan Höwekenmeier, Dirk Adolph and Hans-Georg Liemke from ELHA-MASCHINENBAU Liemke KG)