German Trainees visit College

Posting by Deborah Smail-Ross, Modern Languages teacher

Learning a modern language at The Sixth Form College, Solihull is much more than just sitting in classrooms. As much as possible, we try to give our students the opportunity to put their language skills to the test, be it through work experience, exchange trips or visits.

In German, we have a long association with a company called Continental-Teves, who are based in Frankfurt. We have been fortunate enough to visit them many times over the years, enabling many students to experience a German business environment and to put their German speaking to the test. We also welcome some of their apprentices every year and that is something we have just had the pleasure of.

The Continental-Teves trainees have just spent 2 weeks in the UK as part of their international apprenticeship programme in the Commercial/Business Training department at the firm. The Continental-Teves plant in Rödelheim, Frankfurt specialises in the production and development of automotive brake systems. Continental-Teves were at the forefront of ABS brake development, and are now developing and producing the highly sophisticated ESP – Electronic Stability Programmes.

The trainees have been doing a Summer School here, in which they worked on various projects with our AS German students. There was a BBQ and quiz on their first day here and a farewell lunch at the end of their trip. During the two weeks, the trainees shadowed our students to their lessons, worked with them on bi-lingual film presentations in German classes and produced bi-lingual Dragons’ Den presentations (the Dragons were Vice Principal Martin Sullivan, Curriculum Leader Martin Smith and Marian Birke from Continental-Teves). They also produced a magazine with our students during free periods.

It was evident that everyone – our students, the trainees themselves and the staff too – all really enjoyed the visit and I think everybody got a lot out of it too.

We’ll visit the company for an afternoon during our German exchange in late November / early December next year. We’ll also be able to catch up with one of our former students, Jack Wilson, who is currently doing his year abroad teaching English to the trainees at the company in Frankfurt.

We’ll keep you updated on our return visit to Germany later in the year!

There are more photos on our Facebook page.