Girls day in the training centres of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria

Every year on the 4th Thursday in April, the nationwide Girls Day takes place, which is all about informing young women about career opportunities in professions that are atypical for women.

The training centres of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria also offer schoolgirls an annual opportunity to get a taste of skilled crafts.

 

Background

Girls' Day was first initiated in 2001 with the aim of motivating more young women to take up mathematical, scientific, technical and craft professions.  The background to the initiative is the need to counter the shortage of skilled workers in many technical professions in Germany.

On Girls' Day, many companies and institutions open their doors and provide insights into typical male professions, give girls the opportunity to try their hand at technical, manual tasks and answer questions.

The Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria has been participating with changing offers in its training centres since 2006. Every year, around 50 girls take part.

 

Destination

The aim of the career orientation offers within the framework of Girls' Day is to attract young women/ schoolgirls to professions in which girls are underrepresented compared to boys.

On Girls' Day, girls have the opportunity to "get a taste" of a selected trade at the Education Centre. They can demonstrate their manual skills through practical activities.

 

Target group

The target group is schoolgirls from the 5th grade onwards.

 

Requirements:

Premises: A (training) workshop is needed for information and introduction to crafts.

Communication:

The invitation of the pupils is done by contacting the schools/teachers as well as the website of the Chamber of Crafts as well as the official website of the Girls day action.

Information about the event will also be published in the local press before and after the event.

Cooperation: The training centres cooperate with regional craft enterprises

Structure: The time frame is an afternoon from 2-5pm.

 

Implementation

The actors involved are the coordinators at the education centres, school headmasters or teachers.

Human resources: trainers for the respective craft presented

Financial resources: Low, with use of existing rooms/workshops

Spatial resources: workshops and training room

 

Evaluation

Results (e.g. expectations, experiences, positive/negative aspects, challenges, need for improvement)

The measure has always been successful with an average of 50 participants per year. Only in 2020 and 2021 was there a sharp decline in participants due to Covid 19, so that the activity, which was designed as an attendance measure, could not be carried out in 2021.

Lessons learned: What have we learned from the implementation and evaluation processes? What do we need to consider when implementing these types of programmes in our region/institution? What are the next steps?

If the pandemic persists, the concept may be implemented virtually. However, the practical part of the vocational orientation measure, which is important for craft professions, would then be missing.

 

Contact details: Elke Koch, Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria, www.hwk-muenchen.de