This week we received information about the 12 Andalucian youngsters who, being interested in working in Germany by the dual training formula, participated in an informative meeting organized by the Council of Economics, Innovation, Science and Employment through the Eures network. They also were present at another meeting that took place by the end of December, also attended by another 29 Andalucian youngsters.

During the meeting, the subjects discussed included: the German labour market’s situation, the most demanded professions and the employment search engines in the country. Besides, participants gained more information about job offers for which the German Employment Service (ZAV) requested candidates.

Attendants were selected according to the training profiles demanded by the ZAV and requested their registration through the Eures Network and the webpage of the Andalucian Employment Service. They showed great interest on dual training offers linked to management, accountancy, cooking and technicians specialised in heating and cold.

With the dual training system, candidates have the chance of gaining qualification while having a paid job –up to 818 euros, plus provisions and accommodation- while they improve their knowledge on a foreign language. If they are chosen, they sign a three years’ contract and they will switch between practical and theoretical training, plus obtaining a professional degree officially recognized and equivalent to the Associate Degree. Prior signing the contract, they shall take a 16 week German language course in Huelva plus another 12 weeks in Germany.

The informative meetings helped chosen candidates to received detailed information about the current situation of the German labour market and employment opportunities. In addition, they could learn about the admission requisites for different jobs (degree, language level or previous experience needed), the paperwork European citizens living in Germany must do (such as residence permit, taxes, health insurance, among others), and they were also informed about cultural differences and how a selection process is developed in Germany (the way in which you must present yourself in a company, the curriculum and presentation letter or how to overcome an interview). Furthermore, personalized advice is granted in those cases with greater chances of being employed either in the short or mid term in Germany.

This action is part of the collaboration framework between the Eures Network and the ZAV, along with other initiatives such as the development of selection processes in either countries, exchanges of statistical information on the labour market, information about skills and functions linked to certain jobs, professional recognition on degrees and internet diffusion of job offers.

Eures is addressed to job appliers interested in moving to another country to work and businessmen who wish to hire people from other countries. It is a collaboration network among the public employment services of countries that are members of the European Union, which’s goal is to facilitate free movement of workers in Europe. Eures Network contacts employers and job seekers in 32 European countries (EU countries plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Croatia and Switzerland), offers curriculums of interested candidates, or information needed to live and work in foreign markets, among other issues.

Nevertheless, we ask ourselves, is it useful for Latin America?

There are two interesting concepts to analyse when thinking about Latin American labour markets. The first is the German dual training concept. There are initiatives in certain countries of our region. Looking deeper in to them seems interesting. Though it is necessary to adapt issues related to employability and cultural differences, it is an effective training method oriented towards demand.

The second concept is integration, information exchange and free movement of workers in the region. The work developed by Eures Network seems functional to the future of work. Undoubtedly, these are initiatives to be imitated in a region with no real integration on sensitive issues such as employment.

Every action that tends to regularise employment, to provide flexibility with security, to grant free movement within a legal framework and to create decent work, is urgently needed in a region that requires greater inclusion, diversity and development.