Freight forwarding apprenticeship of refugees - an opportunity for both sides

"I didn't know what freight forwarding was." This is how stories of refugees begin to whom a. hartrodt has offered an apprenticeship as Management Assistant for Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services. One example is Midya Othman who came to Germany from Syria in September 2015. Since February 2019, the 28-year-old has been going through her three-year apprenticeship in Hamburg. She now knows that she wants to stay in the freight forwarding business afterwards. Currently, three of a. hartrodt's apprentices are refugees, two have already completed their apprenticeship and three have completed a career orientation internship in the company.

Social commitment means effort

"We train refugees because we want to take responsibility with our social commitment," explains Martin Argendorf, Manager Human Resources at a. hartrodt in Hamburg. However, he warns that the effort of this social contribution should not be underestimated: "The language barrier means significant extra work, especially at the beginning." But it's worth it for both sides. "On the one hand you counteract the shortage of skilled professionals in the medium term, on the other hand you gain loyal employees", he emphasizes.

Internship, language course, apprenticeship

Abdulrahman Al Yamani masters the German spelling alphabet according to DIN 5009 because few people understand his name immediately on the phone. When he came to Hamburg from Syria in 2013, he brought a passion for sales with him but found everything complicated: "All of a sudden I had to write from left to right." a. hartrodt offered him a three-month internship and financed a language course until he was fit for apprenticeship. "I was able to improve my skills quickly and I have gained a lot of work experience," he reports. Since passing the examination to become a Management Assistant for Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services, the 29-year-old has been working in the export department. There some of his colleagues also have a migrant background.

Abdulrahman Al Yamani and Midya Othman are grateful for the "great support" they receive from a. hartrodt. They have "real fun" at work and feel connected to the family business. They appreciate that there is time for their small children.

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