Training periods in a company in the private sector offer a rather realistic and formative insight into the professional life and the later occupation. It is especially interesting, to make this experience abroad, where work procedures and routine are different and on top of that, foreign language skills are enhanced. Within the scope of the project a total of 78 students from the Czech Republic have done a 10-day training period in German companies. The companies gave trainees similar duties like their German trainees, so that they were  a part of the team rapidly with their transferred duties.
To make this experience possible, a close collaboration on both sides of the German Czech border was necessary.

Preparations by the Czech partner school

The teachers in the Czech Republic had the important task to prepare their students for the training period abroad.
Within the scope of the project, the teachers had made worksheets and flashcards.
Then the worksheets served as teaching texts in a course which the trainees had to finish. This course lasted 30 teaching hours. During the project there were three courses for 32 trainees each.
Then the trainees received flashcards for the training period – these included the most important occupational specific vocabulary and also for everyday life abroad.

To create the familiarity between the future trainee and the supervisors in Germany, several workshops were organised at the school in the Czech Republic.

Preparations by the German partner school

On the German side, the major task was to find suitable project partners who were subject-specific,as well as humanely to look after the young trainees, who were partly under 18 years of age. Also legal bases had to be checked. Thus it was necessary that all trainees have a certificate valid in Germany about a health  and hygiene instruction. We thank at this point the public health department of Cham, which made it possible for a doctor to visit a Czech school for 3 days . So the instruction could take place at the Czech school and all certificates could be issued
During the training periods the students were able to contact their supervisors in Germany 24h a day on an emergency mobile phone. Additionally a free day was organised, where the trainees were able to spend time together in the town Cham.