Desire for better working conditions

Joana worked for many years as a cook and cook’s assistant without a vocational qualification. Several years ago, she completed a one-year training programme to become a housekeeping assistant. She came to the counselling service because she wanted better working conditions and different areas of responsibility. In addition, the restaurant where she worked was at risk of closing. Joana was confident that she could find a new job, but had been looking for alternative opportunities for some time, partly because working in a restaurant kitchen had become increasingly strenuous for her.

In her previous role, Joana supervised interns and discovered her talent for teaching young people the basics of cookery.

Building on professional experience

During her counselling session, Joana mentioned her interest in obtaining a trainer aptitude certificate. Although this qualification is open to people without a vocational qualification, further discussion revealed that it would make more sense for Joana to first obtain her vocational qualification, providing her with a solid professional foundation for her goals. Joana was happy to hear that she could shorten the qualification period due to her professional experience. She received information about suitable qualification programmes and discussed options with her counsellor for qualifying as a trainer in the future.

Joana decided to enrol in a modular post-qualification programme as a chef and received a training voucher from the employment agency. A few months later, she reported that she had successfully completed her first module. Joana has since received an offer from a friend to work part-time as a cook in a daycare centre, allowing her to complete the other modules of the qualification programme while working.

A success story from the Fachberatung Berufliche Nachqualifizierung (Advice on professional post-qualification)