On 20 September, a first cohort of Polish craftspeople started with the new training course “Międzynarodowy mistrz” (International Master) that will prepare them to carry out missions in international cooperation projects.
For Bogumiła Frąckowiak, Head of the Economic Development Department at Wielkopolska Izba Rzemieślnicza (WIR), the chamber of skilled crafts in Poznan, it is the result of an extensive planning and preparation phase that was implemented in the framework of the project, called “Rzemieslnicy bez Granic” in Poland.
The new course includes 16 two-day sessions, with one day online and one day face-to-face, spread over one year, as well as a first assignment as practical training. Most topics of this extra-occupational course are based on the well-established course “Internationaler Meister” in Germany but are adapted to Polish context. Some new topics have been added, such as “how to deal with stress and trauma”, to prepare Polish craftspeople to work with Ukrainians as target group of their missions.
The participants form a committed group of craftswomen and craftsmen of all ages and various professions, such as hairdresser, tailor, florist, goldsmith, roofer, carpenter, joiner and car mechanics.
Markus Eicher, project manager of “Craftspeople without Borders” (Handwerkskammer Frankfurt-Rhein-Main) and Tomasz Wika, Director of the WIR in Poznań, officially opened the new training course on Friday 20 September and wished all participants satisfaction in discovering and learning new topics, and perseverance when facing new challenges.