Working Immigrant Women

Germany offers various programs for immigrants, many of which are specifically defined for women who want to enter the job market. Normally, however, these programs are aimed at women looking to work in a particular field and leave many who are undecided about what kind of employment they seek or unsure if their training will be recognized in Germany to wonder about their future.

"Milva," a project offered by the community college in Mönchengladbach, is tailored to meet the needs of women who are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of applying for a job in Germany or do not yet speak the language well enough to find their way around on the job market.

The project, whose name stands for "women becoming acquainted with various occupations," kicked off in August and will continue for the next eight months.

It began with 20 women reviewing job announcements in newspapers. They were searching for companies offering occupational training. Despite having training from their native countries and having lived in Germany for some time, getting acquainted with German terminology and bureaucracy was no easy task for some of them.

Trained professionals and mothers

Serap Seyhun studied agricultural economics in Turkey and has lived in Germany for 13 years. She had two children soon after coming to Germany, which prevented her from working right away.

"I've had to wait until they've gotten a little older," she said. "Now the kids can take care of themselves and I have more time for myself and for a job."

Many women face the same situation as Seyhun. For female immigrants, finding employment in Germany can be tough.

The German state and employers often do not recognize training received abroad. The decision about whether to seek additional training here in Germany, to learn a new profession or to send out applications for the previously learned occupation and hope for the best can therefore be a weighty one.

Broadening skills

The women running the Milva project, which the State of North Rhine-Westphalia sponsors, help others, such as Serap, gauge their options and plan their careers.

"Being able to speak German fluently is very important for finding work," said Silvia Hannemann, who initiated the project.

"That's why we continue where 'German as a foreign language' courses or integration classes leave off," she added. The 20 women in the Milva program can already speak German, but they need to hone their language skills in specific areas, Hannemann said.

The Milva participants will also attend computer classes and get a feeling for the various types of occupations available in Germany.

"Even though many of the women have already received training in their home countries, they must still become familiar with how jobs and the educational system here in Germany are organized and how they can get additional training," Hannemann said.

She said the women will also be instructed in German social and employment laws for various professions. The program participants also have a chance to meet representatives of different occupations and take part in two-month internships.

Future plans

Natalja Müller is a trained accountant originally from Novosibirsk, Russia. Once she completes the Milva program and is better informed about the German job market, she said he plans to get additional training.

"I like the Milva project because we learn everything step-by-step," she said. "It's better than sitting at home and procrastinating about trying to get a job. We learn how to do everything here."

Seyhun, the agricultural economist from Turkey, said she now realizes she has no chance of getting a job in her field in Germany. She is considering seeking employment in a German-Turkish company where she can use her bilingual skills.

Exactly these kinds of practical decision demonstrate the aim of the Milva project, Hannemann said. When the women began participating in Milva, they lacked orientation about their careers.

"Now, they have very concrete ideas about what they want to and can do and they're very motivated," Hannemann said. "They were just waiting to get the help they needed."