On the mountain. (usc) “By taking part in the integration course with the goal B1, you have built the foundation for your life in Germany.” This is how ISE managing director Peter Blendowski described the certificate that 17 of 24 participants from ten nations acquired at the vocational training institute. Four achieved knowledge level A2 below.
The course, sponsored by the job center and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), included 600 hours of language lessons and 100 hours of orientation module, supported by the immigration offices of the city of Amberg and the district. The participants, mostly under 30, come from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland and Bulgaria.
Language level B1 enables immigrants to understand everything in everyday life and to take up work, as Peter Blendowski assured at the certificate award ceremony. Those who want to learn foreign languages and want to receive recognized training, for example in nursing or various other training professions, will have to sit on the seat of their pants and cram to reach language level B2.
Blendowski reported initial problems between the individual course participants regarding religious and ethnic reservations, prejudices that were quickly overcome, according to Blendowski. He encouraged the course participants to contact clubs, turn on German channels and speak German with their neighbors in order to further develop their language skills.
Erwin Rohrer, regional coordinator of the BAMF, emphasized that this course completion is a success for the efforts of the Federal Office, which spends a lot of money on integration measures. He pointed out various options for achieving an even higher level of language proficiency. This also means opportunities for higher career opportunities.
Gertraud Mertel, head of the immigration office at the district office, said with regard to the future planning of the graduates that B1 is also important for the granting of a settlement permit in a few years and for naturalization in a few years. Olga Mirz, an employment agent in the job center's escape team, said frankly that she was happy that she could now have a normal conversation with those seeking help and continue working toward work. “Successful integration is not possible without language,” concluded Edgar Schott from the Amberg immigration office.
For the report
Hubert Uschald