Refugee children given a warm welcome
LWG Lausitzer Wasser GmbH & Co. KG had some very special guests recently. 20 refugee children aged 12 to 16 visited the teaching workshop Am Großen Spreewehr 6 upon the instigation of Georg Schneider.
Learning for the future
“At the school we convey basic knowledge to children in German and other subjects and prepare them to be able to learn in a regular school class after about half a year,” reports the teacher at the vocationally-oriented Gutenberg-Oberschule Forst. But it is equally important in his opinion to interest children in vocations now that will some day help rebuild their home country. “A stable supply of drinking water is one of the most important things that has to be guaranteed everywhere,” comments Georg Schneider. “And because LWG trains machine mechanics to this end it appeared only logical to acquaint children with these skills.”
“That is why it would be good if our government funded vocational training of refugees so that they can later return to their home countries as well-trained specialists.“
Georg Schneider
Getting some hands-on experience
Girls and boys from Syria, Afghanistan, the Congo and Chechnya visibly thought it was fun to stand at a workbench themselves. Under the tutelage of LWG instructors Jörg Lange and Marten Schneider, they practiced filing for the first time in their lives, quickly finding out that it looks easier than it is.
Apprentices welcome
Nevertheless, Georg Schneider hopes that they will also enjoy this practical work over the long term and that they will above all receive the possibility to learn a profession after finishing school in Germany. “We probably have the best vocational education system in the world here in our country,” observes Georg Schneider, who has already entered into retirement. “That is why it would be good if our government funded vocational training of refugees so that they can later return to their home countries as well-trained specialists.” At any rate, there is room for additional apprenticeships at LWG Lausitzer Wasser GmbH & Co. KG.
