Visit at EBC
On Monday, May 29, 2017, the Cross-Border Employment Service (SGA), which has been based in the Eurode Business Center Kerkrade/Herzogenrath since September 6, 2016, received a visit from the General Director of the Dutch Employment Administration (UWV), Mr. Tof Thissen. Mr. Thissen was welcomed to the SGA team by Mr. Ulrich Käser, Chairman of the Management Board of the Employment Agency Aachen-Düren, Mr. Manuel Stoffels, Regional Manager Zuid-Limburg (UWV), Marleen van Rijnsbergen, Member of the Provincial Council Limburg, and Dion Schneider, Alderman of the Municipality Kerkrade for the Euregional Labor Market, also, on behalf of Parkstad Limburg, administrative contact for the SGA team. Mr. Thissen was informed about the origins, composition, and goals of the Cross-Border Employment Service during a presentation by SGA team members Miek Cremers (Work Coach at the UWV) and Egon Vanwersch (EURES Adviser at the Employment Agency Aachen-Düren). A tour of the EBC and a visit to the SGA team premises followed.
Visit at Habets company in Nuth
After visiting the SGA team, Tof Thissen, along with Eric Bruls (EURES Advisor UWV) and Egon Vanwersch (EURES Adviser at the Employment Agency Aachen-Düren), visited the company Habets Industrial Components & Surface Technology in Nuth (near Heerlen). The visitors were welcomed there by Arno Wendrich, Director of the company, and Rob Meis, Production Manager. Mr. Wendrich and Mr. Meis informed Mr. Thissen about the excellent cooperation with EURES at the Employment Agency Aachen-Düren, which has been ongoing since 2008. The employer explained that since then he has already hired numerous skilled workers from Germany through EURES Aachen (mainly cutting machine operators, but also industrial mechanics). Furthermore, Mr. Wendrich and Mr. Meis stated that since 2011, in collaboration with EURES at the Employment Agency Aachen-Düren, S-BB Nederland, and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Aachen, there has been a training project “Training in the Netherlands under German law”, in which more than 45 young people from Germany have found an apprenticeship placement at a Dutch company in metalworking, including about 12 apprentices at Fa. Habets. The employer praised the German training system as exemplary and is also very impressed with the attitude, motivation, and enthusiasm of the skilled workers and apprentices from Germany. The visitors were informed about the company Habets (foundation, history, production branches, customers, international business, etc.) during a presentation by the employer. Fa. Habets is predominantly active in the field of large metal for clients, among others, in the steel industry and in energy generation (wind energy). Over the years, the company has built an excellent reputation in these areas as a “global player”.
After the company presentation, a young German who completed his industrial mechanic apprenticeship at Habets shared his experience of the apprenticeship with this employer. The young man recommends to any young person from Germany to pursue training in the Netherlands under German law, especially with this employer. What he particularly likes in the Netherlands is the relaxed (yet always respectful!) interaction, the very good collegial atmosphere with the Dutch colleagues. Also, the primary and secondary working conditions are exemplary, said the young man, who, by the way, received a permanent contract at Fa. Habets after passing his exams successfully.
Unfortunately, time constraints did not allow for the originally planned company tour. Mr. Thissen left South Limburg with very good impressions of the cooperation between the various partners in terms of Cross-Border Employment (EURES / SGA).
Aachen, in June 2017