Closed companies, working from home, short-time work - conditions are currently even more challenging for young people starting their careers. Therefore, BSH, together with the Joblinge initiative, supports young people in difficult circumstances to find their way out of unemployment. BSH’s Corporate Communications Head, Johannes Müller and Joblinge’s CEO, Ulrike Garanin talked about how this cooperation came about and what makes it so special.

How Joblinge helps struggling youths

The German non-profit organization Joblinge e.V. empowers young people in trying circumstances to discover their potential and work their way into an apprenticeship or job on their own. These trying circumstances are the result of living with more burdens than their peers have i.e. trying to find work with a migration background, language difficulties, and lower qualifications.

As of 2021, BSH has been supporting Joblinge in providing young people with a path to a self-determined life. In addition to financial support for the organization, BSH also provides practical assistance with job applications and offers internships as well as apprenticeships. The first BSH employees are already acting as mentors to their personal Joblinge-mentees, supporting them in their search for jobs and in "self-discovery". This is intended to ensure that the Joblinge-mentees stick to their goals and remain persistent, even in difficult phases. This is not only enriching for the mentees but also for the BSH mentors, as CCM Head Johannes Mueller has already discovered,

"You learn a lot and take away a lot more for your own life." - CCM Head Johannes Mueller

Why BSH is specifically supporting Joblinge?

What is so unique about Joblinge is its above-average results. Unlike many other, often state-run players, 78 percent of the Joblinge participants found an apprenticeship or a job in 2020 – that’s a total of 500 young people whose lives were changed during the global Corona pandemic! Around 85 percent of those placed are still employed six months after finding a job. This makes Joblinge truly sustainable in our eyes. Consequently, “sustainable” is also the keyword for our collaboration, because an important aspect of BSH's understanding of sustainability is taking social responsibility. 

We are committed to helping improve young people's quality of life noticeably and in the long term. After all, work can lead to self-actualization and independence. This commitment is even more important during the Corona pandemic, as Joblinge’s educational programs were in danger of being jeopardized as partners were forced to discontinue their financial support. Furthermore, the young participants themselves are hit particularly hard by the pandemic. For them, staying "at home" means being in a dull environment, without IT equipment and thus not even virtual contact with the majority of society. 

Finally, the labor market forecast for 2021 is not particularly encouraging either. Around 100,000 apprenticeships are expected to be eliminated in Germany alone.

Internships wanted at BSH!

To counteract this trend, internships, in particular, are an important first step on the path to permanent employment. For many young people, this is their first encounter with working in a company and their first glimpse into what working life really entails. 

Since this is usually a win-win situation for employers and Joblinge participants, we are looking for internship opportunities in all areas and departments of BSH. 

Would you like to support Joblinge and offer an internship in your area or department? 
These are certainly difficult times, especially due to the lack of participants’ IT equipment, but where there is a will, there is always a way! 

Watch the interview (with English subtitles) here: