Frey + Lau GmbH has enabled five employees to retroactively obtain a recognized and accredited vocational qualification. The project is made possible by the “external students' examination” process. The German Federal Employment Agency supports this measure by providing financial support for training course fees, travel expenses, teaching materials and wage subsidies within the scope of the “WeGeBau” initiative, a Germany-wide program offered to employees over 45 years of age and those who do not have any usable certified vocational training. Vocational qualification made easy? Far from it: the employees had to intensively study and prepare for the regular theory portion of the exam as well as the practical examination in just one year, on a part-time basis – a study course which would usually take two to three years at a vocational college. This can only be possible with full support from family and colleagues – and with so much backing, all five employees accomplished their goal and successfully passed the exam with good results. Unskilled employees thus became “Chemical Production Specialists” or “Warehouse Logistics Technicians”. FREY&LAU is a co-initiator of the project and helped support it financially. CEO Claas Nendel says: "We feel strongly connected to our staff, and as a growing company, we are continuously looking for qualified, skilled employees to join us. It was therefore a logical step for us to enable our unskilled employees to document their expertise and know-how by obtaining a vocational qualification. Acquiring the specialized knowledge also lets employees understand their tasks better, and so the quality of work increases as a result.”