Kaufmann International Certificate

The aim of the ‘Kaufmann International Certificate’ is not only to improve the language skills of the participants, but also to sensitise them to the socio-cultural and professional environment. This includes the following goals:

• Improvement of English language skills and a special focus on business English
• Optimisation of intercultural skills
• Introduction to the local working world and Dublin as Europe's technology centre
• Preparing participants for employment in an English-speaking country
• Insights into the Irish economy in the areas of business, management, enterprise and marketing
• Develop business communication strategies to explain solutions, problems and ideas

Yessica Brucks and Julian Poeschl, students at the Friedrich Fischer School in Schweinfurt We'll never be able to go to Ireland... or will we? "We want to go abroad." This thought was already on our minds at the beginning of the 2022/23 school year. But where, when, and how would we finance it? Questions upon questions. But then the good news came: Our school would be accepted into the Erasmus+ program. And so it was that a few months later, we found ourselves on a plane to Dublin, Ireland, to earn the Kaufmann International Certificate at Cork English College. Different countries, different customs—or different weather Arriving in Dublin, we were greeted by sunshine—at least for a while. On the three-and-a-half-hour bus ride to Cork, we were also treated to some typical Irish weather. Gray skies, rain, and wind, which our German umbrellas struggled to withstand—as we later discovered firsthand. But that didn't stop our host families from warmly greeting us and picking us up at the bus station. The question "Do you want to drive?" wasn't the only one asked that evening, as we tried to get into the car on the right side. In addition to the weather, we ultimately had to adjust to driving on the left. This was postponed until the next day, however – we collapsed into bed exhausted on Monday midnight. School, but the Irish way – Our path to the Kaufmann International Certificate Monday morning, it was time for us to return to school at Cork English College, just a few days after receiving our Abitur. But unlike in Germany, classes started at 8:40 a.m., which meant more sleep for us. While Yessica was able to walk to school, Julian had to rely on Cork's exceptionally well-developed bus service. Upon entering the college, we were warmly greeted by the staff and led to our classroom, where the next surprise awaited us: nine other German course participants. Out of habit, we started conversations in German until our teachers reminded us to always speak English in college – which makes sense in an English college. What was unusual and uncomfortable at first quickly became normal for us. Shortly afterwards, our teachers – Ankie, Ciara, and Jason – introduced themselves and our timetable. For the next three weeks, Ankie would teach us about Ireland's (economic) history from 8:40 to 10:40 a.m., while after a 20-minute coffee break, Ciara would teach us more about internationally relevant business content for another two hours until 1:00 p.m. After the lunch break, Jason challenged us to be creative until 3:30 p.m. The lesson focused particularly on speaking English so that we could improve our language skills and fluency. There were also numerous opportunities to improve our listening comprehension. Reading comprehension tasks were also included. Everything was rounded off with playful elements such as "Bamboozle" and "Kahoot". In addition to traditional lessons, our task as part of a project was to discover a gap in the market and found a start-up, which we had to present at the end of the three weeks. Our idea: The "Fit Food Factory" – a restaurant offering "healthy, nutritious and delicious food". We had to identify the target group, develop a marketing concept, assess the competition and explain our "unique selling point" (USP for short). In the presentation, we were also able to directly apply our newly acquired presentation skills and thus make an impression – after all, the talk was graded. But the project wasn't the only hurdle to overcome. There was also a written test on the last day, for which we were extensively prepared and which was manageable with little study effort. Among other things, the vocabulary learned, idiomatic expressions, and grammatical structures were tested, linked to specific topics on topics such as Ireland's economy, the Irish Famine, and economic-ecological conflicts such as fast fashion, ethical travel, and business ethics. Europeans discover Ireland together Nevertheless, our stay was still full of fun. Our course included two impressive excursions. The first took us to the Franciscan Well brewery, where we were introduced to traditional Irish brewing. Afterwards, we had the opportunity to sample a variety of beers brewed there. The following week, we went to the Nano Nagle Place museum. There, we learned about the impressive history of Nano Nagle, which dates back to the 18th century—despite the

The topics covered in the course range from: Intercultural Business Environment Entrepreneurship European & Irish Law The topics are rounded out by excursions to companies. This includes a tour of Dublin, two company visits, and a Dublin Docklands tour. The companies visited depend entirely on the target group. Examination Format: The final examination is divided into three parts, consisting of an oral examination, a written examination, and a final exam. 

The program is tailored to various business training programs, including: Industry Wholesale Foreign Trade Banking Insurance Real Estate Human Resources Tax Consulting Business This program is aimed at trainees with two entry levels: CEFRL B2 or higher and trainees with CEFRL B1 to B2 levels.

The German-Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce works closely with its partner schools to ensure successful, high-quality continuing education. Therefore, we create tailor-made curricula that match the educational level of the participants and challenge and support them. Native English speakers as teachers: We guarantee that all lessons are taught by highly qualified native speakers. We provide access to all course materials required for the course. Annual audits at our partner university ensure that our quality standards are maintained.

By appointment

The package includes: Accommodation 3-week language course Certificate and company visits The school also offers free use of: 

• Library Support services 
• Comprehensive learning environment 
• Additional costs include: Flight costs Transportation costs within the city Pocket money Meals Erasmus+ also offers funding for this course.

These cover approximately 80% of the costs. Please contact your vocational school for more information.

The registration deadline is three months before the start of each course. Registrations can be made by email to jutta.jennings@german-irish.ie.