Practice
DHL takes on a key role in offering opportunities for young people to gain initial work experience, with the guidance of corporate mentors.
Content of practical activities:
- Internships/apprenticeships: Young people get the opportunity to work in one department or to rotate through different departments in one company for a period of one week up to several months.
- Job shadowing: Young people accompany different employees over several days to learn what it means to work in a certain area.
- Other possibilities of work exposure include company visits, etc.
GoTeach practical activities aim to:
- Prepare young people to work in a professional environment and adapt to corporate culture
- Introduce young people to different departments within a company to young people so that they can explore their interests
- Improve soft skills by learning how to work in teams
- Support young people in acquiring helpful contacts for their future career path
Recommendations for Practical Activities
- Jointly develop job descriptions, work plans and goals for apprenticeships or internships
- Try to reach a broad range of young people through different kinds of internships. Give particular consideration to blue-collar jobs, which are still underrepresented in GoTeach.
- Ensure that the young person gets a written contract with clearly defined entitlements such as paid annual leave and sick leave. The apprenticeship needs to be in line with decent work standards (regarding compensation, social protection, work organization and personal development).
- Regarding remuneration, check the national legal framework and internal regulations in the country. No difference should be made between GoTeach interns and other interns in the same company.
- Develop a clear work plan with the young people and the host company, including an induction period and specific learning goals. This work plan must be monitored by project staff, mentors and the corporate partner. A supervisor should be assigned to the intern and provide feedback in regular meetings.
- The young person should receive an overview of the company structure, a briefing on his or her role, be introduced to the team and have time to become familiar with the policies and procedures of the company.
- Young people should be included in team or department meetings, informal meetings, etc. Celebrate their achievements and establish an open atmosphere to discuss any problems the intern may have.
- Constructive feedback should always accompany the end of a youth employment assignment, even if it was unpaid and/or temporary. Young people should receive a reference or certificate that summarises what they did and use it to secure their next job placement.
Training Examples:
Please click on the follwoing links for different training examples.
Good Practices
The Good Practice Examples chapter of this Wiki provides insights into different real-life examples all around the globe.
| Chapter lead | Susanne Novotny |
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