Model project for the new training programme for nursery school teachers in Chemnitz city administration starts
Today, the ten applicants for the first year of the part-time teacher training programme signed their contracts in the City Council Chamber of the City Hall.
This marks the start of a pilot project in which, for the first time, training to become state-recognised educators will be carried out by Chemnitz City Council. Nine women and one man aged between 18 and 37 were selected from a total of 166 applications received.
The training model takes the form of a practice-integrated or basic four-year training programme. This means that overall responsibility for the training remains with the Vocational School Centre for Health and Social Services in Chemnitz (in accordance with the Education Act). However, there is a 14-day alternation between school-based and practical assignments.
In the practical facilities, the trainees work in crèches, kindergartens and after-school care centres. The City of Chemnitz pays all trainees a training allowance of between 1,190 euros in the first year of training and up to 1,353 euros in the fourth year of training.
Mayor for Personnel, Finance and Organisation Sven Schulze: "Until now, the training of nursery nurses has been a purely school-based training course that lasts at least five years until you are formally considered a nursery nurse. There is no training allowance for the entire period. Instead, school fees have to be paid. This is not in keeping with the times and is not attractive for young people. Above all, however, it shows no appreciation for these young people who will later bear so much responsibility."
Mayor for Education, Social Affairs, Youth, Culture and Sport Ralph Burghart: "It is becoming increasingly difficult to find enough trained nursery teachers. Especially as demographic change is also affecting this area and a large number of educators who have worked in daycare centres and after-school care centres for many years are retiring. Potential career changers are often put off by the poor training conditions. But they could enrich the centres enormously with their life and work experience. That's why we hope that our new model will enable career changers to start working as childcare professionals for the first time."
Background:
In order to address shortages of nursery teachers at an early stage, the city council decided last year to examine a model project for nursery teacher training via the city of Chemnitz. The city councillors approved the concept presented in the same year, meaning that ten trainees could initially be hired with training starting on 31 August 2020. If the pilot project proves successful, further recruits will be made in the coming years based on the forecast demand for skilled labour.
The undergraduate educator training programme is carried out in cooperation with the independent providers in the city of Chemnitz. This means that a separate class of 20 trainees will be formed at the Vocational School Centre for Health and Social Services in Chemnitz, ten of whom will be from the city administration and ten from the independent providers.