Professional School: Places still available in the qualification program for foreign professionals
2025-05-28 Lüneburg. Whether for youth facilities, as street workers or in women's aid: with the extra-occupational program “Integration in Social Work” (InteSA), the Leuphana Professional School supports foreign professionals on their way into the German job market. The project helps social workers and social education workers to obtain state recognition. Without this, they cannot work as social workers in Germany. The Leuphana Professional School thus trains urgently needed specialists: In Lower Saxony alone, there were over 3,000 vacancies in the field of social work/social pedagogy in 2024, according to the Competence Center for Securing Skilled Workers. "This is exactly where InteSA comes into play. With the program, we can both reduce skills gaps in the labour market and help people to find employment in Germany according to their qualifications," explains project coordinator Sami Qaiser.
Maja Diviki studied social work in Bosnia. She came to Germany seven years ago, started out as a waitress and quickly learned German. She later worked in afternoon care at a Lüneburg elementary school. The temporary contract ran out: “I found out about InteSA through the employment agency,” reports Maja Diviki. The participants receive comprehensive support, for example with language courses and specialist training in social and administrative law. Internships are arranged and recognition processes are accompanied by individual advisory services. Maja Diviki has now completed the program at the Leuphana Professional School and is starting her recognition year at the General Social Service of the City of Lüneburg: "InteSA is a stroke of luck for me. I can work in my profession and make a meaningful contribution in Germany," says the 33-year-old.
Oksana Patsamai fled Ukraine with her daughter in 2022 and now lives near Oldenburg. She immediately found a job as a teaching assistant: “I had already learned German in Ukraine and was able to start straight away,” she explains. The now 45-year-old looked for in-service training courses so that she could work full-time in her profession as a social pedagogue again: “Many of the achievements from my studies in Ukraine were recognized for InteSA,” she reports. Oksana Patsamai is now also starting her year of recognition and will be working in the day group of a special school. She has been working there since the beginning of 2025: "I love this work and am grateful for the good support at Leuphana Professional School and the opportunity to continue my education. It's important to me to lend a hand in Germany," says the mother of three.
It is possible to join the free program on an ongoing basis until November of this year. There are still places available for all further education courses as part of “InteSA”.
Das Programm wird vom Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienst und dem Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt gefördert. Die deutschsprachige Fortbildung findet sowohl online als auch teilweise in Präsenz am Wochenende auf dem Campus der Leuphana statt.
Interested parties can contact the project coordinator directly to arrange a personal consultation or to register: Sami Qaiser, Tel. 04131.677-7797, e-mail: intesa@leuphana.de.