The shortage of skilled workers requires new approaches for companies. If the search for qualified specialists remains unsuccessful, the path often leads companies to lateral hires. If they are hired, they have to be trained or, even better, qualified in their field of work. Companies facing various challenges. On the one hand, lateral entrants bring different previous knowledge with them, i.e. they have an inhomogeneous level of knowledge. On the other hand, a period of further training means a temporary loss of manpower (with permanent remuneration). The company OTEX Textilveredlung, Flöha, and the STFI came together some time ago in the search for solutions. Nico Teutsch, managing director of OTEX, gives an insight into his experiences with employee qualification in an interview. On August 23, 2023, he will report on this in detail at the first STFI Academy Breakfast (Akademie-Frühstück), at which companies in the textile industry will exchange ideas with contact persons from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Employment Agency about opportunities for outstandingly qualified specialists of tomorrow.

What experience have you gained on this matter so far?

Temporary workers are hardly an alternative in our field due to long and complex training periods. That's why we prefer to use lateral hires. The in-house onboarding and qualification process of lateral entrants for the various job profiles has been a practiced strategy for several years in order to build up the company's growth and thus the required personnel capacity. A well-founded basic qualification in overarching specialist knowledge of textile technologies is sometimes neglected in the process. However, looking beyond the end of one's nose is crucial for the success of personnel and organizational development - also in order to further promote talents.

What path have you taken as a result of these experiences?

We have learned to make compromises and work out feasible solutions to enable an additional qualification program for specialist knowledge. A strong initiative by companies in recruiting workers and developing them into skilled workers helps best.

What has this brought you for the company?

Our company does not have to do without 100% manpower; our individual solution was a partial qualification program, which was implemented despite the shift system. The colleagues even work in different shifts. Of course, flexibility and synchronization were required here. The end result is a partially qualified degree, which also enables and accelerates the further development of talents in the company for more demanding tasks, projects and positions along the career path. In addition, this approach enormously strengthens loyalty and cohesion between employee and employer - in both directions, by the way.

What opportunities are there for your employees?

Our talents are promoted in this way to enable internal further development - regardless of what initial qualifications they bring with them, which is more often outside the industry. Partial qualification is a good compromise solution because it creates a win-win for all sides: Compensation for employees despite further training and 100 percent funding for training and downtime are also possible.
 

What would you recommend to other companies?

Identify potential and high performers in your companies. Enable qualification in a suitable framework. Agree on mutual goals and expectations in advance. It's also worth making initial vocational training a matter for the boss - from feedback interviews with vacationing students to communicating the company's values and actively integrating them into the corporate culture. The key is to create identification with the company - not just for lateral entrants - for everyone.