Q&A Apprenticeship in Berlin
Dear Colleague,
Please find below frequently asked questions which we came across during last year’s recruitment campaign. This guide is designed to give you as much information as possible to assist you in the selection of the best candidates for our “Young Europeans” programme.
Which organisation will provide the apprenticeship?
Siemens Professional Education is responsible for the Apprenticeship. SPE Berlin is the largest Siemens AG training site in Germany with about 1350 students and trainees.
Which country selects the apprentices?
The home-countries select the apprentices. Learners return to their home country after the 3.5 years apprenticeship
Do you need a university degree to participate in the Programme?
No – if you have applicants with academic qualification, select bachelor candidates. SPE has had difficulties to teach learners with a masters degree as their academic knowledge is far too advanced for the requirements of the programme
Is the requested age range (18-22 years) absolutely mandatory or can it be flexible?
Students have to be 18 years old when they start (Aug). We strongly recommend that learners are between 18 – 22 years of age as the average apprentice in Germany our learners will be studying with will be ca 16-19 years old.
Are there additional selection steps from the Sectors or in Germany ?
No: the intention is to bring the apprentices back to the home countries; therefore the selection process is critical for the success of the scheme
Which country performs the Medical check ?
The potential apprentices need to conduct a test for red/green blindness (Ishihara test). This test must be performed in the home country, either at an optician or at a doctor’s, or at local Siemens Health dpt. if it is able to perform it (costs should not be higher than 20-30 EUR).
If this test is ok, the original with the results needs to be sent to Gabriela Schneider (EMEA).
The other medical checks will be done in Germany.
Which country signs the apprenticeship contract ?
Germany signs the contract
How much and when will the apprentice be paid?
The salary in the brochure is a gross salary. For a gross salary of € 788 per month, the net salary would be around € 626 (social insurances split as follows : € 64 for health insurance, € 78 for pension, € 12 for unemployment and € 8 for longterm care --> total ca € 162).
The training allowance is currently :
§ 1st School year : € 785,00
§ 2nd School year : € 832,00
§ 3rd Training year : € 887,00
§ 4th Teaching Year : € 921,00
All students will have to pay social security contributions in Germany: these are made up of the contributions to health insurance and care insurance, pension insurance and unemployment insurance (money will not be refunded upon return to home country).
The salary is paid at the end of the month (so it is necessary that the trainees bring money for the first month in Berlin -for food, recreation, etc.). This means that the apprentices need to have money available in August. August salary will be paid to the apprentice’s bank account end of August.
Please note that the pensions contributions can be transferred back to the home country when the learner returns, which means they don’t lose the amount they have paid in.
Will there be additional income taxes for the apprentice?
No.
Is social insurance provided in the contract ?
Yes, having a local German contract, the apprentices are covered for the following: unemployment, pension, long term care and healthcare. In Germany the costs are 1/2 up to the employer and 1/2 up to the employee.
How many paid holidays are they entitled to take: 30 days each year or during the whole program?
Generally 30 days a year. But in the year of joining the company (Siemens Germany) and in the year of leaving the company (Siemens Germany) employees are entitled to have only 2,5 holidays for every full month of employment. This is ruled in the Tarifvertrag Berlin (collective agreement for Berlin).
In other words: in case that the contract initiates in Aug 2012 they are entitled to have 5x2,5 days=12,5 days in 2012. And important to know: in the first year of employment the entitlement applies only after 3 months of employment.
Making the example with 2013 : working the whole year they are entitled to 12x2,5=30days
Are lunch and dinner allowance included in the package? Can the trainees use the canteen? During weekdays or also on weekends?
The apprentices can use the canteen (lunch only) where the food is subsidized by Siemens by 50%. ---> costs for the apprentice round about 2€ bis 4€/day (depending on what they select).No further allowances for meals are included. The apprentices could cook in their apartments or go out on their own for dinner.
What type of accommodation will be provided (shared apartments, halls of residence...) ? Who pays what ?
- Each trainee receives a private one-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette, bathroom (shower or bath) and living / sleeping area
- Siemens AG will cover the rent and utility costs and will enter into a sublease agreement with the trainee
- Water and electricity do not need to be paid for - are included
- The apartments are about 10 minutes walk from the training institution
- The apartments are rented about 2 days before the start of training,
- The housekeeping by the Housing Corporation (every two weeks) costs about 40 euros per month and can only be booked on site
- In the halls of residence laundries with washing machines and dryers are available, which can be used (for a fee).
- In the immediate vicinity are shops, doctors and supermarkets
- The apartments are some with balconies - the allocation of apartments can not be influenced
- Bed linen and towels are not supplied on arrival itself and can not be booked in advance (I thought bedding was provided – Gabriela, please check)
- Crockery, TV, clock radio, vacuum cleaner are available
- For own appliances welcome (eg coffee machine, stereo, microwave)
- In the rooms is a telephone / internet available
- The provider of Internet / mobile phone itself must be chosen (eg Vodafone, O2, Telekom - Note: "Cable Germany" is not available as a provider)
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How about laptops, mobile phones and internet connection ?
Laptops are provided during office hours, but can’t be taken at home. The company does not offer mobile phones to apprentices. The apartments in which the apprentices will live can be connected to internet. However, the contracts with the network providers have to be signed by the apprentices and paid by themselves.
Intensive German lessons in August ?
Siemens sectors pay for the lessons. The apprentices get paid in August to follow these lessons. SPE will as well organise sessions to make the apprentices network and get to know each others.
- Phase 1: The first 6 weeks the trainees an intensive German training DaZ (German as a second language)
- The aim is to achieve the levels A1 (CEFR)
- The German training takes place in 4 small groups
- The Europeans are depending on the level of knowledge of the German language German-trained individually by our trainers
- The trainees will be parallel to the pure German lessons already familiar with technical training content
- Phase 2: in a further 3 months, the focus is in the placement of professional communication skills
- The aim is to achieve the level A2 (CEFR)
- The Europeans received during your training a German Certificate
Are there some mentoring guidelines available?
Yes.
When will the placement in the home country take place?
The 4 weeks are going to be in the third year of the apprenticeship. Exact date will be decided by SPE.
The idea behind is that the apprentice, working at the end of his apprenticeship in the home country, can enforce the networking in the home country during this 4 weeks' stay in order to prepare his assignment after the apprenticeship
What is the language during the vocational training? The IHK exam will take place at the end of the training program. In which language(s) will this exam be available?
During the recruiting / administrative steps, candidates will receive all documents in English.
The vocational training (courses) will be in German. English will be used additionally only in the first weeks of the apprenticeship.
The exam will be in German language only.
When does the apprenticeship start?
Starting date is Aug, 1st.
What about the visits to the home country ?
The costs of travel to Berlin have to be supported by the trainees themselves
Siemens AG will pay for four trips home (round trip) per year (German Railways 2nd class or equivalent Common class, air tickets to for the cheapest rate or at a reduced rate in the least expensive class) will refund up to a maximum of EUR 200.00 net per trip home to (for round-trip total).
Trips home can not be transferred from one year to the next.
Please note that the home trips cannot be booked for the first 4 months on the scheme (probation period)
What happens at the arrival in Berlin?
Students are expected to make their own way to SPE – there is a guide available as to how to get there. Upon arrival a brochure in English with all the important information about the SPE Berlin and a timetable / schedule for the first few weeks is issued
For the first month, a subway / bus ticket is paid for
How are organised the 6 first weeks (Introduction phase) ?
Settlement of formalities:
Apprentices receive extensive support in all administrative matters, such as
- Registration of vocational training contracts at IHK Berlin
- Registration with the Registry Office / Freizügigkeitsbescheinigung
- Application for Tax ID
- Opening a bank account (free checking account)
- Medical insurance (http://www.sbk.org/en/sbk-for-all.html)
- Applying for the social security card
- Details of ways an insurance (insurance / home insurance by Siemens Financial Services)
- Assistance with filling in all the forms
- Medical check
- Issue of the Siemens company identity card
- Issue of Student Cards - allows trainees receive various benefits
How about leisure and cultural integration ?
The trainees a varied program is offered to become familiar with Berlin and the German culture:
- Visit to a Berlin brewery and an introduction to German Food
- Guided tour of the German Bundestag
- Visiting various museums, e.g. Museum of Technology
- City tour, boat tour and an excursion into the countryside
- In addition, there are numerous sports, such as rope climbing, rowing, soccer, bowling and volleyball games
- Increases in the acclimatization period soft skills team building exercises and training will take place to support the cohesion of the group to the strengths and Teambuilding
Will the qualification be recognized in Germany only or in the other countries as well ?
The qualification is recognized in Germany, only. To be recognized in other countries, there’s a local request to make to the home-country Education Ministry. Recognition will for instance be possible in Austria.
Is there any retention clause included in the contract?
No retention clause included. All the more we need to find the right people, the right mentor and ensure a good contact to the home country. The HR Head himself is responsible for the assignment and integration of the apprentice.