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>> THE FOLLOWING EPISODE OF "JOB
READY" IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY
CENTRAL PIEDMONT COMMUNITY
COLLEGE AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO "JOB
READY."
I'M TONY ZEISS.
THE PURPOSE OF OUR SHOW IS TO
SHARE EMERGING WORKFORCE TRENDS
IN THE CHARLOTTE REGION AND
IDENTIFY CAREER OPTIONS AND
RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
MY GUEST TODAY IS PROFESSOR HANS
PETER MENGELE, FROM GERMANY.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S MY PLEASURE BEING WITH YOU.
>> WHAT BRINGS YOU TO CHARLOTTE?
>> TWO THINGS.
IT'S THE ENERGY, INC.
THIS WEEK, AND I'M HERE WITH THE
DELEGATION, VISITING CHARLOTTE
AS THE NEW ENERGY CAPITAL, WHICH
IS VERY EXCITING, AND THE SECOND
TOPIC, OF COURSE, IS OUR
COOPERATION IN THE WIDE FIELD OF
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
TRAINING.
>> AND YOU'RE A MASTER AT THAT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU ARE
OPERATING ONE OF THE LARGEST
UNIVERSITY/TECHNICAL TRAINING
COLLEGES IN GERMANY.
AND IT'S A VERY PRESTIGIOUS
ORGANIZATION.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION.
>> WELL, THINGS ARE ORGANIZED
DIFFERENTLY IN GERMANY.
WE HAVE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND WE
HAVE THE SO CALLED DUAL
APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM.
APPRENTICESHIP HAS A LONG
TRADITION IN GERMANY AND HAS A
HIGH VALUE AND VERY GOOD
PRESTIGE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS
MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT,
BECAUSE IN GERMANY, YOUNG MEN
AND WOMEN IN THEIR DUAL SYSTEM
CAREER ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL OVER
THE YEARS.
>> WELL, AND THAT MODEL, THAT
APPRENTICESHIP MODEL HAS BEEN IN
PLACE OVER A THOUSAND YEARS, I'M
TOLD, SO IT'S VERY COMMON TO
YOUR CULTURE.
>> OH, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S DEEPLY ROOTED IN OUR
CULTURE, AND MY ORGANIZATION,
WHICH IS THE GERMAN INDUSTRY AND
CHAMBER NETWORK, IS RESPONSIBLE
THAT THIS HIGH LEVEL AND HIGH
REPUTATION IS KEPT FOR ALL OF
THE FUTURE BECAUSE THIS IS THE
BACKBONE OF THE BIG SUCCESS,
GERMAN BUSINESS AND COMPANIES
CURRENTLY ARE DEMONSTRATING ON
THE WORLD MARKET.
>> WELL, OF COURSE THE GERMANS
HAVE LONG HAD A REPUTATION OF
BEING THE BEST IN MANUFACTURING,
THE BEST AT MAKING THINGS, SO
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU
HAVE SOME SORT OF A SYSTEM LIKE
YOURS IN PLACE SO YOU CONTINUE
TO PRODUCE SKILLED WORKERS,
PARTICULARLY IN MECHATRONICS AND
MANUFACTURING.
>> WELL, THANKS, TONY.
IT'S GREAT HEARING THIS FROM
YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW HOW
SUCCESSFUL YOU ARE IN THIS
BUSINESS IN THE U.S. AND HOW
MUCH YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE
SUCCESS OF YOUR COMPANIES.
IT'S THE SAME IN OUR CULTURE,
IT'S DIFFERENTLY ORGANIZED, BUT
ACTUALLY WE ARE FIGHTING THE
SAME THING, WE WANT TO PROVIDE
BEST SKILLS TO OUR CUSTOMERS, TO
OUR COMPANIES SO THAT THEY CAN
BE MOST SUCCESSFUL.
>> AND I THINK YOU HAVE AN
ADVANTAGE.
YOUR SYSTEM HAS AN ADVANTAGE
BECAUSE THERE ARE CLEAR PATHWAYS
FOR STUDENTS TO CHOOSE TO TAKE
EARLY ON, WHEREAS IN AMERICA,
THOSE PATHWAYS AREN'T SO CLEAR.
IN FACT, SOME PEOPLE DON'T MAKE
UP THEIR MIND EXACTLY WHERE THEY
WANT TO GO IN THEIR CAREER UNTIL
THEY'RE IN THEIR LATE 20S.
SO I THINK YOU HAVE AN
ADVANTAGE.
NOW, TELL US ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE, THIS
TRANS ATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE CHARLOTTE REGION.
>> YEAH, WELL, CHARLOTTE REGION
IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US, JUST
BY THE FACT THAT 200 GERMAN
COMPANIES HAVE ESTABLISHED THEIR
ACTIVITIES IN THE U.S., IN
CHARLOTTE, SO THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR THE BEST TRAINING FACILITIES
AND IT'S NO SECRET THAT THEY
LOVE TO COOPERATE WITH CPCC,
JUST LAST NIGHT, WHEN I MET MR.
PRINGLE FROM SIEMENS, HE TOLD ME
HOW HAPPY HE IS AND HOW MUCH HE
ESTIMATES THE COOPERATION THAT
HE HAS WITH CPCC.
AND IF WE CAN ADD SOME
ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS OUT OF OUR
SYSTEM, I THINK THIS WILL BE FOR
THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT FOR THE
GERMAN COMPANIES IN THIS REGION.
>> YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE LEARNED
PROBABLY AS MUCH OR MORE FROM
SIEMENS THAN THEY LEARNED FROM
US, BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP HAD A
COMMON GOAL, AND THAT IS TO GET
THE HIGHEST SKILLED WORKERS FOR
THE SIEMENS PLANT AS POSSIBLE,
SO THAT WHEN SIEMENS THINKS
ABOUT EXPANDING, THEY WILL
EXPAND HERE IN CHARLOTTE.
AND SO THAT'S THE NEXT THING I
REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT, I'M
REALLY EXCITED, IS ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CENTRAL
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND
IHK KARLSRUHE, WHICH IS YOUR
TECHNICAL TRAINING PROGRAM.
COULD YOU TELL US, HOW DID THAT
ALL COME ABOUT?
>> IT STARTED SOME YEARS AGO,
WHEN WE MET IN WASHINGTON FOR A
NATIONAL CONFERENCE, AND I COULD
FEEL IMMEDIATELY THAT CHARLOTTE
IS THE PLACE WHERE THE GERMAN
INDUSTRY WANTS TO STAY AND TO
BE, BUT CHARLOTTE IS ALSO A
PLACE FOR BEST PROFESSIONAL
EDUCATION, TRAINING,
DEVELOPMENT, AND SO I THOUGHT
FROM THE FIRST MOMENT THAT CPCC
WOULD BE PERFECT PARTNER FOR US,
AND THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE, WITH
YOUR HELP, TO ASSIST GERMAN
COMPANIES AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
SERVICE.
>> AND WHY ARE GERMAN COMPANIES
COMING TO AMERICA?
OR FOR THAT MATTER, WHY ARE THEY
ESTABLISHING PLANTS ALL OVER THE
WORLD?
WELL, THIS IS REALLY CURRENTLY
THE MAIN ISSUE FOR THE GERMAN
ECONOMY, TONY.
GERMANY WAS SUCCESSFUL OVER THE
YEARS, AND DID INTERNATIONALIZE,
BUT NOW THEY MUST GLOBALIZE.
GERMANY IS THE FOURTH LARGEST
ECONOMY, BUT LOOKING ON THE
TERRITORY, YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT
EVEN COMPARE WITH THE SIZE OF
THE UNITED STATES, SO THE
BUSINESS IS OUTSIDE OF OUR
COUNTRY.
THEY GROW OUTSIDE OF GERMANY,
AND THEY NEED TO HAVE THE SKILLS
TO OPERATE WHEREVER THEY GO
INTERNATIONALLY, AND THE U.S.
ARE THE BIGGEST MARKET, AND FOR
MY UNDERSTANDING, THE MOST
IMPORTANT MARKET.
THAT'S WHY ANY GERMAN COMPANY
MUST LOOK INTO THE U.S. AS THE
PRIME MARKET AND FIND OUT HOW
THEIR CHANCES ARE THERE.
>> WELL, AND WE, THE COLLEGE,
HAVE WORKED WE'VE BEEN VERY
INTENTIONAL IN TRYING TO BECOME
AS GERMAN FRIENDLY AS WE CAN.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> AND WE'RE THAT WAY BECAUSE WE
WANT MORE THAN 200 GERMAN BASED
COMPANIES HERE AND AUSTRIAN AND
SWISS.
IN FACT I THINK IN THE BROADER
REGION, IT'S MORE LIKE 500 MAYBE
COMPANIES HERE ALREADY, BUT THE
CLOSER WE CAN WORK WITH YOU IN
OUR PARTNERSHIP AND PROVIDE THE
SKILLS THAT THE GERMAN EMPLOYERS
EXPECT, THE BETTER OFF EVERYBODY
IS.
>> YES. AND THERE IS ONE VERY
IMPORTANT POINT, IF YOU LOOK IN
THE GERMAN INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE.
MANUFACTURING WAS ALWAYS ON TOP.
EVEN IN THOSE TIMES, WHEN OTHER
COUNTRIES LIKE U.K. THOUGHT THEY
MIGHT GIVE AWAY MANUFACTURING
AND BE HAPPY WITH SERVICES,
MAYBE FINANCIAL SERVICES, THE
GERMANS NEVER GAVE UP.
THEY ARE INDUSTRIAL, THEY ARE
MANUFACTURING BASED, AND TODAY
EVERYBODY IS HAPPY BECAUSE IT'S
THIS FUNDAMENT ON WHICH THEY
BUILD THEIR GLOBAL SUCCESS,
BECAUSE ONLY IF YOU SELL
PRODUCTS, YOU CAN SELL AFTER
THAT, SERVICES FOR THESE
PRODUCTS.
>> RIGHT. PLUS AS YOU EXPORT
THINGS OUT, YOU BRING NEW
DOLLARS BACK IN, CREATES MORE
JOBS.
>> YES, YES.
>> BUT AT THE BASIS OF ALL OF
IT, I THINK, IS THE ABILITY FOR
EMPLOYERS TO GET AND KEEP
SKILLED WORKERS, DON'T YOU THINK
THAT'S IT?
>> YES, THAT'S A KEY POINT.
ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S A CRUCIAL POINT.
AND THAT'S WHY THE SENSITIVITY
IN GERMANY IS EVEN GROWING
HIGHER, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO THE
PEOPLE NEED IN SKILLS, HOW CAN
THEY BE MOVED INTO LIFELONG
LEARNING, HOW CAN WHAT DO YOU
HAVE TO DO TO KEEP THEM READY
CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING THEIR
SKILLS.
>> THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIME, AS
YOU SAID.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS
PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE.
>> YES.
>> I REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST MET,
WE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO
EXCHANGE SOME PROFESSIONAL
EMPLOYEES BACK AND FORTH, AND WE
SENT ONE OF OURS TO YOU, AND
WE'VE HAD ONE OF YOURS FOR THE
PAST THREE MONTHS.
>> YEAH.
>> I THINK IT'S WORKING GREAT.
>> I LIKE THIS.
>> OKAY. MAYBE WE'LL DO SOME
MORE OF THAT.
>> YES.
>> BUT THE MOST EXCITING THING
IS, YOU, THEN, REACHED OUT AND
SAID, GERMAN COMPANIES IN ANY
REGION, BUT CHARLOTTE REGION,
THEY WANT THE CERTIFICATIONS
THAT THEY RECOGNIZE, AND THESE
ARE GERMAN BASED CERTIFICATIONS
THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG
TIME, IN FACT, APPROVED BY YOUR
GOVERNMENT, AND YOU SHARED THOSE
WITH US.
AND WE SENT OUR PEOPLE OVER TO
SEE YOU, LEARN ABOUT YOUR
SYSTEM, AND NOW WE ARE PROBABLY
THE ONLY COLLEGE THAT'S TEACHING
THOSE GERMAN CERTIFICATIONS IN
AMERICA.
AND SO SOMETHING REALLY BIG
HAPPENED TODAY.
WHAT WAS IT?
>> WELL, WE COULD THE FIRST TIME
PRESENT THE NEW STUDENTS THIS
DEGREE, THIS CERTIFICATE WITH
THE TWO ON THE CERTIFICATE, CPCC
AND IHK KARLSRUHE.
I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD DAY
TODAY.
>> IT WAS A GOOD DAY AND THE
STUDENTS WERE VERY HAPPY, AND
THESE WERE FIRST STUDENTS TO GET
IN FACT, THEY HAVE ONE MORE
CLASS TO TAKE, I THINK, BUT THEN
THEY'LL BE FINISHED, AND IT
GIVES THEM A REAL ADVANTAGE, I
THINK, WHEN THEY APPLY TO GERMAN
COMPANIES.
>> YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS REALLY
AMAZING FOR ME IN TALKING TO THE
STUDENTS, TO FEEL HOW COMMITTED
THEY ARE, HOW THEY LIKE IT.
I MEAN, THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR
US.
I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR
GERMAN COMPANIES.
MAYBE FOR U.S. COMPANIES AS WELL
TO SEE THAT THEY ESTIMATE THE
VALUE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING.
>> WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT A
LOT OF OUR STUDENTS REALLY WANT
TO WORK FOR GERMAN COMPANIES
BECAUSE THEY ARE RECOGNIZING
THAT GERMAN COMPANIES TAKE CARE
OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND THEY
WANT THEIR EMPLOYEES TO STAY
WITH THEM.
THEY INVEST A LOT INTO THEM, AND
THEY WANT THEM TO STAY FOR A
LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I BELIEVE
THAT IF THERE'S A DOWNTURN IN
THE ECONOMY, COMPANIES DON'T IN
GERMANY DON'T LAY OFF THEIR
PEOPLE, THEY MAY SCALE THEM BACK
IN TIME BUT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY
LAY THEM OFF, SO THEY STILL HAD
THEM WHEN THE ECONOMY GETS
BETTER.
IS THIS
>> YES, THAT'S TRUE.
>> THE WAY IT WORKS?
>> YEAH, THAT WAS THE CASE IN
2008, IN THE CRISIS.
AND NOW THINGS HAVE TURNED
AROUND, OF COURSE, BUT ONE
REASON IS, AND THIS IS THE TRUE
VALUE OF THIS IHK SEAL THAT YOU
HAVE ON THIS CERTIFICATE NOW,
THAT GERMAN COMPANIES OF ALL
SIZE, BIG SIZE LIKE SIEMENS BUT
ALSO SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE
COMPANIES KNOW THAT THIS IHK
SEAL, THEY HAVE THE PROOF ABOUT
THE HIGH QUALITY OF SKILLS THAT
PARTICIPANTS OF THOSE COURSES
AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
COURSES HAVE.
>> AND WHAT ARE THOSE COURSES
IN?
WHAT ARE THE AREAS THEY'RE IN?
>> WELL, WE ARE OFFERING AT HOME
THESE COURSES IN ALL FIELDS.
MECHANICAL, BUSINESS, HEALTH
>> MACHINING.
>> TOURISM, EVERYTHING.
BUT IN OUR CASE, I THINK FOR THE
COMPANIES HERE, IT'S MOST
IMPORTANT TO OFFER COURSES AND
THINGS FOR YOUR GREAT
COOPERATION THAT WE CAN DO THIS
TOGETHER, BUT I MUST SAY YOU ARE
DOING THE MAIN PART, TONY,
ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE JUST ADDING AND
CONTRIBUTING, KNOWING THAT CPCC
HAS ALL THE SKILLS.
CPCC HAS ANYTHING, BUT WHAT WE
REALLY DID WITH YOUR HELP PUTS
SOME ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS INTO
THIS SO THAT THE GERMAN
COMPANIES WHICH SEE THE JOINT
DEGREE KNOW THAT THIS ME MATCHES
YOUR STANDARD BUT ALSO MATCHES
THE STANDARD FROM GERMANY.
>> YOU KNOW WE THINK IT'S ADDING
GREAT VALUE TO OUR STUDENTS AND
HOPEFULLY IT WILL HELP US
ATTRACT MORE COMPANIES AS THESE
GERMAN COMPANIES BECOME EVEN
MORE SUCCESSFUL.
>> THAT'S WHAT WE HEAR FROM
GERMAN COMPANIES.
THEY LOVE TO COOPERATE WITH YOU.
SO I'M GETTING A LOT OF
COMPLIMENTS, BUT WHEN I HEAR
FROM GERMAN COMPANIES, OH, IT'S
PERFECT, YOU FOUND THE RIGHT
PARTNER.
WE'D LOVE TO COOPERATE WITH
CPCC.
THERE ARE ALL THE SKILLS
AVAILABLE.
SO JUST ADD A LITTLE PIECE FROM
GERMAN PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
CULTURE, AND IT WILL BE PERFECT
FOR US.
>> RIGHT. WELL, YOU HEARD MARK
PRINGLE, THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
SIEMENS IN CHARLOTTE, LAST NIGHT
SAID THAT HE ONLY HAD THREE
PEOPLE IN HIS TRAINING DIVISION
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> BECAUSE HE SAID CENTRAL
PEDIATRICIAN MONTH WAS THE
TRAINING DIVISION.
>> THAT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR.
>> WE ALSO ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED
IN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, BUT
GUESS WHO WANTS THE
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS THE
MOST?
GERMAN COMPANIES, BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT THEY'RE USED TO.
SO WE HAVE APPRENTICESHIP 2000
WITH ABOUT 20 GERMAN COMPANIES,
SMALL, MEDIUM SIZE, LARGE,
INCLUDING SIEMENS.
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'LL TAKE
THESE STUDENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOLS
AND THEY STILL GO TO HIGH SCHOOL
BUT THEY ALSO HAVE SOME TRAINING
FROM US AND THEY HAVE ON THE JOB
TRAINING, WHICH IS THE MOST
VALUABLE OF ALL.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO
REPLICATE THE GERMAN MODEL,
ACTUALLY ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE WHEN
WE STARTED THIS COUNTRY 250
YEARS AGO, WE USED
APPRENTICESHIP.
LET'S SEE, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WAS
ONE OF OUR EARLY LEADERS.
HE WAS AN APPRENTICE IN THE
PRINTING AREA.
BUT SOMEHOW WE GOT AWAY FROM IT,
AND NOW WE NEED TO MOVE BACK TO
IT.
YOU GOT ANY SUGGESTIONS IN THAT
REGARD?
HOW DO WE GET AMERICAN COMPANIES
TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF
APPRENTICESHIPS?
>> I THINK THIS IS A VERY
DIFFICULT QUESTION.
MAYBE WE HAVE A SIMILAR
SITUATION THAT WE MUST FIGHT AT
HOME.
MANY THINK THAT ONLY THE WAY TO
A COLLEGE, TO A UNIVERSITY,
MIGHT OPEN A CAREER, BUT THIS IS
NOT TRUE.
THE FACTS SHOW, AND I CAN SAY
THIS FROM GERMANY, DEFINITELY,
THAT BOTH TRACK, THE
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING WHICH IS
THE DUAL SYSTEM IN GERMANY, THE
APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM, AND THE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM PROVE TO HAVE
THEIR SPECIAL QUALITY FOR THE
FUTURE LIVES AND CAREERS OF
THEIR RESPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS.
AND I MEAN, IN GERMANY, MAYBE
THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL THING,
THAT EVERYBODY CAN MOVE UP STEP
BY STEP.
THERE IS THE SYSTEM IS VERY
FLEXIBLE.
SO EVERYBODY CAN GO THROUGH UP
TO THE VERY TOP, CAN BECOME CEO
OF AN IMPORTANT COMPANY, EVEN
WHEN HE STARTED OR SHE STARTED
WITH AN APPRENTICESHIP.
>> RIGHT.
>> SO WE MUST REALLY ARGUE AND
CONVINCE INTO FAMILIES, INTO
SOCIETY, THAT PRACTICAL DOING
HAS THE SAME HIGH QUALITY AS
GOING TO UNIVERSITY AND
FINISHING WITH A BACHELOR AND A
MASTER'S DEGREE, ON THEIR
RESPECTIVE LEVEL.
>> AND IT'S ALL HONORABLE WORK.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND WE SHOULD VALUE THAT AS
MUCH AS WE VALUE A PROFESSIONAL
DEGREE.
>> YES.
>> WHERE WOULD YOU BE WITHOUT
YOUR PLUMBER OR WHERE WOULD YOU
BE WITHOUT THE APPRENTICESHIP I
MEAN THE PROGRAM IN AIR
CONDITIONING AND HEATING?
SO WE NEED EVERYBODY.
INCLUDING THE MANUFACTURERS.
NOW, HERE IN CHARLOTTE, WE ARE
LOOKING AT ESTABLISHING A NEW
ECONOMIC VISION, AND THAT IS A
GLOBAL VISION BECAUSE WE'RE
BASICALLY ALL GROWN UP NOW, AND
MANY OF OUR COMPANIES ARE
ALREADY DOING BUSINESS, GOOGLE,
ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE, ALL OVER
THE WORLD, AND WE WANT TO HELP
OUR COMPANIES DO MORE BUSINESS,
YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD,
BUT THE SECRET IS, WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE SKILLED
WORKERS, AND THE MORE THAT WE
PARTNER WITH YOU, AND OTHER
FOLKS, AND WE SHARE BEST
PRACTICES, THE BETTER WE'RE ABLE
TO DO THAT.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT I BELIEVE
THERE WERE 58, MAYBE 58 GERMAN
BASED COMPANIES IN CHARLOTTE
THAT COME FROM YOUR REGION.
>> YES.
>> DESCRIBE YOUR REGION, HOW BIG
IT IS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE
THERE, THAT SORT OF THING.
>> IT'S ABOUT ROUGHLY 1.5
MILLION, BORDERING WITH FRANCE,
TO FRANCE.
AND IT'S KARLSRUHE IS THE
CAPITAL OF THE REGION, AND WE
HAVE A VERY, VERY STRONG
RESEARCH BASE WITH THE KARLSRUHE
INSTITUTE FOR TECHNOLOGY AS THE
CENTER AND QUITE A NUMBER OF
MORE UNIVERSITIES FOR ALL KINDS,
ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY,
FOR EDUCATION, FOR MUSIC, FOR
COLLEGE AND SO ON.
SO THE FUNDAMENT OF OUR REGION
IS REALLY HIGHER EDUCATION.
BUT EVEN HAVING THIS HIGHER
EDUCATION, WE OFTEN TALK TO THE
PARTICIPANTS OF OUR COURSES AND
THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM THAT
THEY SHOULD CONSIDER WHAT WILL
BE BETTER FOR THEIR EARNINGS AND
THEIR FAMILIES, GOING TO ONE OF
THESE UNIVERSITIES, FINISHING
WITH A BACHELOR DEGREE, NOT
TALKING ABOUT THOSE WHO DROP
OUT, WHO WILL BE IN PROBLEM BY
DROPPING OUT, OR JUST STARTING
COURSES AND TAKING
APPRENTICESHIP EDUCATION.
AND MANY OF THOSE CAN SEE THAT
FOR THEIR DAILY LIVES, FOR THEIR
FAMILIES, FOR THEIR FUTURE, IT'S
BETTER TO START WITH A
PRACTICALLY ORIENTED
FUNDAMENTALLY BASED PROFESSIONAL
CAREER.
>> AND THEN IF THEY WANT TO GET
A HIGHER DEGREE, THEY STILL HAVE
A JOB, A GOOD JOB WITH SOME GOOD
SKILLS, AND THEY CAN GO ON FOR
THE NEXT DEGREE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING HERE
AT CPCC.
>> IT'S TRUE.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR COMPANIES?
I GET A FEELING THERE'S ANOTHER
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE IN THE
WAGER MAN COMPANIES WORK WITH
THEIR EMPLOYEES VERSUS AMERICAN
COMPANIES, AND I HEAR THAT THE
GERMAN COMPANIES WILL
PARTICIPATE MORE IN HELPING TO
DEVELOP THE SKILLS OF THEIR
EMPLOYEES AND TO THE POINT WHERE
THEY WILL OFTEN PAY FOR THEM TO
GO BACK TO SCHOOL TO GET THE
NEXT DEGREE AND THE NEXT DEGREE.
>> YES.
>> IS THIS TRUE?
>> YES. SO THE BIG COMPANIES IN
OUR REGION ARE SIEMENS, ARE
DAIMLER, DAIMLER HAS HUGE
MANUFACTURING SITES, THE BIGGEST
TRUCKS IN THE WORLD, THE ENGINES
AND SYSTEMS, CAR SYSTEMS, SO A
LOT OF INDUSTRY, A LOT OF SMALL
AND MEDIUM SIZE INDUSTRY AS
WELL, FAMILY OWNED INDUSTRY, AND
ALL OF THEM KNOW AND ARE WILLING
TO INVEST IN YOUNG PEOPLE.
OF COURSE THIS THREE YEAR
PROGRAM IN WHICH THEY PUT YOUNG
PEOPLE, THE GERMAN TYPE OF
APPRENTICESHIP, IS EXPENSIVE.
IT'S NOT COST, IT'S AN
INVESTMENT.
BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT IN
CULTURE, AS I UNDERSTAND.
>> RIGHT.
>> BUT THEY ARE READY TO INVEST,
AND RELATED TO BASIC CULTURAL
CONDITIONS WHICH ARE AS THEY ARE
IN GERMANY, IT'S EASY TO
UNDERSTAND THAT IN CASE THIS
COMPANY HAS SOME TROUBLES, THEY
TRY TO KEEP THE WORKFORCE AS
LONG AS TO BELIEVE, BECAUSE THEY
HAVE INVESTED INTO IT.
AND THEY THINK MAYBE IN HALF A
YEAR OR IN ONE YEAR OR IN TWO
YEARS, WE ARE DOING BETTER, AND
THEN WE DO NOT WANT TO LOOK
AROUND AND HIRE SOMEBODY AGAIN.
IT'S BETTER AND CHEAPER FOR US
TO KEEP THEM, AND AFTER THE
CRISIS '09, THEY REALLY
BENEFITED VERY MUCH FROM THE
STRATEGY, BECAUSE WHEN THE
MARKET TURNED BACK INTO
EXPANSION, THEY WERE HAPPY TO
HAVE THEM.
THEY COULD START QUICKER IN THE
INTERNATIONAL MARKET THAN
COMPETITORS, WHICH LAID OFF
PEOPLE AND FIRST MUST HAVE
STARTED TO FIND AND HIRE BACK.
>> THAT'S GOOD LONG TERM
STRATEGIC THINKING.
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY AMERICAN
COMPANIES DON'T THINK THAT FAR
OUT, BUT THAT'S PART OF A
CULTURAL CHANGE.
MARK PRINGLE MENTIONED THAT ON
THEIR APPRENTICESHIPS, AND THESE
ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEY
START IN HIGH SCHOOL FOR FOUR
YEARS, THEY INVEST, HE
ESTIMATED, ABOUT $160,000 INTO
EACH APPRENTICE.
SO IT MAKES SENSE TO TRY TO KEEP
THEM.
>> OH, THAT'S A BIG FIGURE, YES,
THAT'S TRUE.
BUT IF YOU PUT EVERYTHING
TOGETHER, IT WILL END UP
>> BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE A
DEVOTED, LOYAL EMPLOYEE.
>> YES.
>> WHEN WE MENTION THIS TO
AMERICAN COMPANIES, THEIR FIRST
THOUGHT IS, WELL, IF I INVEST
THAT MUCH MONEY, AND THEN THEY
GO WORK FOR SOMEBODY ELSE DOES
THAT HAPPEN IN GERMANY?
IS THAT A CONCERN?
>> THAT HAPPENS, BUT NOT THAT
MUCH.
BUT WE HEAR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS,
LIKE THE ONES THAT THE BIG
COMPANIES WHICH ARE PAYING
HIGHER SALARIES LIKE DAIMLER IS
DRAWS OUT SKILLED LABOR FROM
RATHER SMALLER OR MEDIUM SIZED
COMPANIES.
IT'S OF COURSE ALWAYS A
QUESTION, EVEN IN OUR COUNTRY,
THAT YOU MUST BE ATTRACTIVE, YOU
MUST OFFER THEM THIS IS ALSO
WHAT I WAS TALKING TO MR.
PRINGLE YESTERDAY, NOT JUST
MONEY BUT IT'S MORE, IT'S
LEADERSHIP, IT'S BRINGING PEOPLE
INTO RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKING
THEM PART OF THE SUCCESS OF THE
COMPANY.
>> MAKING THEM PART OF A FAMILY
IS WHAT WE SAY.
>> YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
>> WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING.
IN AMERICA, WE HAVE THIS HUGE
SKILLS GAP, AND WE ARE WORKING
VERY HARD TO TRY TO CLOSE THAT
GAP AND FIND OUT WHAT INDUSTRY
NEEDS, SO WE HAVE ADVISORY
COMMITTEES OF PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
AND INDUSTRY TO ADVISE US ON
WHAT CURRICULUM TO DEVELOP, AND
HOW TO TRAIN OUR STUDENTS IN
WHAT SKILLS.
AND THAT WORKS VERY WELL, IF WE
CAN GET THE STUDENTS.
AND WE SOMETIMES HAVE A HARD
TIME GETTING STUDENTS, BECAUSE
WE HAVE A 30% DROPOUT RATE OF
OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND DO YOU HAVE A SIMILAR
PROBLEM IN GERMANY?
>> NOT THAT MUCH THIS WAY, BUT
WE WILL GET A PROBLEM WITH THE
DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATION AND
DEVELOPMENT IN GERMANY.
WE JUST DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH
PEOPLE.
WE ARE OFFERING JOBS TO IN
SOUTHERN EUROPE NOW, WHERE THE
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS VERY HIGH
IN THE YOUNG GENERATION, SO
YOUNG SPANIARDS ARE COMING TO
GERMANY AND MANY OTHERS, BUT
THIS IS A PROCESS THAT IS JUST
BEGINNING.
>> IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVE A
NEGATIVE POPULATION GROWTH AND
YOU'RE IMPORTING PEOPLE.
>> YES, AND COMPANIES ARE SO
SUCCESSFUL, SO THEY NEED PEOPLE,
AND THE GENERATIONAL SHIFT, THE
EFFECTS OF THE GENERATION.
SO IT'S SIMILAR BUT NOT JUST THE
SAME.
>> WELL, I MUST SAY THAT OUR
RELATIONSHIP IS MORE THAN A
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP, IT'S
A FRIENDSHIP.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO BE
CONNECTED TO YOUR ORGANIZATION,
AND WE'RE SO HONORED TO BE ABLE
TO GIVE THOSE YOUNG STUDENTS THE
FIRST CERTIFICATION, GERMAN
CERTIFICATION, EARNED IN
AMERICA, SO WE MADE HISTORY WITH
THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
MAKING MORE HISTORY WITH YOU IN
THE FUTURE, AND THAT DOOR SWINGS
BOTH WAYS, BECAUSE WE WANT TO
SHARE WHATEVER BEST PRACTICES
AND WHATEVER CURRICULUM WE CAN
WITH YOU, SO BOTH OF OUR
COUNTRIES AND OUR PEOPLE WILL
BENEFIT GREATLY.
MY GUEST HAS BEEN PETER MENGELE.
HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED IT.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.