ChancenWORK - Promotion of young talent in craft professi

The project “Chance@SHK-Handwerk”, which was set up by the association Chancenwerk with the support of the Wilo-Foundation (here acting as trustee of the WILO-Stiftung) and in cooperation with the Central Association for Sanitation, Heating and Air Conditioning (ZVSHK), was intended to improve young people’s career opportunities and address the shortage of young talent in the SHK skilled trades.

Implementation was based on the “learning cascade” methodology, a model developed by the educational partner Chancenwerk e.V., which creates a system of learning support in which the learners’ subject-specific skills and the tutors’ social skills are promoted at the same time. Within this framework, older pupils benefit from tutoring provided by university students and, in return, make their time and commitment available as “learning coaches” for younger pupils. To ensure smooth organisation, Chancenwerk appointed a school coordinator for each participating school.Formularbeginn

The apprentices guide the pupils in their independent work and are on hand to answer any questions. Photo: Wilo-Foundation, Credits: Peter Eilers

The pilot SHK companies involved were Stingl in Munich and Esser in Dortmund. Photo: Wilo-Foundation, Credits: Peter Eilers

In a second step, due to the serious shortage of young talent in certain companies, the concept was expanded to include career preparation with the programme “ChancenWORK”: here, pupils were increasingly brought together with trainees from companies, and the principle of the “learning cascade” was extended to the school-to-work transition. Trainees from partner companies act as “job tutors” and support pupils in various modules in developing employability and finding their own pathway into a profession. They then go on to help deliver career-orientation workshops in local schools. In this way, pupils learn from the experiences and example of young apprentices who are only slightly older than themselves.

The educational initiative “Chance@SHK-Handwerk” was also presented by Murat Vural, Managing Director and founder of Chancenwerk e.V., at the Wilo SHK Trade Days 2024 (Magdeburg) and 2025 (Bremen). Photo: Chancenwerk e.V.

On this basis, the “ChancenWORK” model was transferred to the SHK skilled trades as the initiative “Chance@SHK-Handwerk” between 2014 and 2017, with the support of the Wilo-Foundation (here acting as trustee of the WILO-Stiftung). This created a win–win situation for everyone involved: pupils gained insights into possible career paths in the SHK trades in Dortmund and Munich, while the apprentices of the participating pilot SHK companies developed soft skills as tutors and received support with their own learning for their journeyman’s examinations. This demonstrated that the pilot SHK companies in Dortmund and Munich did not experience disadvantages due to their apprentices’ temporary absence; on the contrary, they benefited from the learning support their apprentices received. In addition, the companies gained the desired opportunity to make direct contact with pupils as potential applicants for their apprenticeship positions.

Photo Header: Wilo-Foundation, Credits: Peter Eilers

Our funding partner

Chancenwerk e.V., Castrop-Rauxel works in secondary schools in several German federal states and across different types of schools, where learning cascades are established. In this model, older pupils support a group of younger pupils with their schoolwork and, in return, receive support from university students with their own learning challenges. Pupils from the lowest to the highest grade levels can take part.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) forms the global framework for action for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. Our funding commitment also supports these sustainability goals. With this project, we are making a contribution to achieving the following SDGs:

What are the SDGs`?