Since 1997 the WMF Group GmbH has been offering its apprentices the opportunity to do an internship abroad. With the project “WMF – Auslandspraktika für Auszubildene” an additional 54 young people will be able to do a five-week internship in England. To be able to compete as an export-oriented company in the global marketplace, the WMF Group GmbH requires its employees to obtain the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their duties. Only with excellent foreign language skills and intercultural competencies is it possible to sustain long-term economic success. By sending our apprentices abroad the company benefits by having a more qualified workforce. To obtain these qualifications, the following goals have been set for their time abroad:- To have a better grasp and understanding of the foreign language by actively using it during the internship and in their free time- To support the flexibility and mobility of the young people- To expand their core competencies by transferring their existing skills and knowledge to a new workplace- To gain international and intercultural competencies- To support the idea of being a united EuropeThe plan is to send 54 technical and commercial apprentices in three different waves. The participants will have completed the second year of their apprenticeship and in doing so will bring their business-related and individual competencies along that are required for a successful internship abroad. Participation is voluntary with the aim that anyone who is interested may participate. The participants will attend 2 one-day seminars to prepare for the internship. In addition to the organizational and cultural information, the contractual and educational agreements will be covered. The language preparation will take place internally and via OLS over a period of several months before to insure the apprentices feel well prepared.The internship abroad is divided into two parts. The first week will familiarize the participants with the language and local customs by attending a language course. The following four weeks the apprentices will work and learn in their respective field of study.In particular they shall:- become acquainted with the internship provider, its products and production methods or services as well as its employees- learn to work independently as soon as possible- transfer the knowledge and skills to new tasks- acquire new knowledge and skillsFurthermore, an additional task shall be to examine the local chain of distribution for WMF products and determine the need for possible new products.The supervision and monitoring of the program participants during the internship will be performed by TTPL and the project leader.A follow-up seminar will take place upon their return regarding the contents, workflow and benefits of the internship abroad.The following learning objectives have been formulated and are expected of the participants:- to improve their foreign language skills- to maintain mobility and flexibility in their future profession- to enhance their professional and/or technical competencies- to gain intercultural competencies and- to think positively as one EuropeThe company expects that the internship abroad will better qualify its future workforce for the global marketplace as well as increase the attractiveness of the company as a training center for future apprentices.The long-term benefits of participating in an internship abroad are:- the participants gain professional and individual competencies- the company wins by having a more qualified workforce- the region profits by having highly skilled workers thereby making the area more attractive for companies- Germany and the EU have a mobile, well-trained workforce- Europe benefits in that its young people can experience working as one large communityA traineeship abroad with all its opportunities to learn enables young people an active forming of their future by acquiring new competence - for this generation the future will be even more international und intercultureal!