Dual study in the social education sector
The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg not only strives to present itself as an attractive employer, but it also wants to break new ground in the training and study programmes of its skilled workers. Therefore, it has initially advertised two study places in the field of social work, which will enable the respective candidates to acquire an internationally recognised Bachelor's degree in a good four-year alternation of theoretical and practical blocks.
District Administrator Dr Reinhard Kubat was now able to welcome the first two students. Tiana Emde from Korbach and Jessica Hecker-Robinson from Frankenau. Both began their training course on 1 April, in which the district is cooperating with Fulda University of Applied Sciences. The district administrator did not miss the opportunity to welcome the two students himself. "As a district and employer, we want to set a good example and are therefore increasingly focusing on the opportunities offered by dual studies," emphasised the head of the district administration. Similar offers are also being tested in the field of civil engineering, among others.
In his view, the dual courses of study, which are also offered decentrally away from the large university and college locations, offer the chance to provide young people with high-quality training opportunities close to home. This is of utmost importance for rural areas, he said, because it can prevent educational migration, which in the past has attracted many highly qualified young people to the conurbations.
The new bachelor's degree programme in social work in the district's education portfolio will be structured in such a way that students will complete longer periods in the specialised services of youth, social affairs, schools and education, health, and sports and youth work These practical periods will last between three and seven months, depending on the size and scope of the tasks. A classroom module takes place once a month. 8 of these take place directly at the university in Fulda, otherwise they are online modules offered via a presence platform. This has the advantage that a large part of the course can be completed at home or at work. At the district itself, a practical instructor is available to advise and support the students, which is exactly what makes this form of training particularly interesting for people who want to change careers, but also want to strengthen the compatibility of family and career, according to those responsible at the district.
The first two students, Tiana Emde and Jessica Hecker-Robinson, embody the target groups very accurately. Tiana Emde completed a voluntary social year at the Kegelsberg School in Frankenberg and then trained to become a state-certified educator. Jessica Hecker-Robinson is married and has 2 children. After training as a retail saleswoman and obtaining her entrance qualification for higher education in the fields of business and administration, she worked as a participation assistant at the Friedrich Trost School in Frankenberg. Both candidates are now looking forward to the new professional perspective and the possibility of obtaining a qualified university degree.
Among the well-wishers on the first day of work were. the deputy women's representative of the district, Karin Herzog, practical supervisor Andreas Greif, Annika Möller and Marie-Luise Querl from the FD Human Resources, Julia Wilke from the youth and training representation, Daniela Kaluscha from the staff council as well as office manager and head of human resources Andreas Mann, who emphasised in a statement that with the establishment of the new dual courses of study, the administration had once again shown that it was not dusty and antiquated, but was adapting to the changing social developments and orienting itself to the real requirements of the working world.