Issue 12 2021

Oct21532 Best Further Education Institute in Germany 2021 Education is an invaluable resource, and ensuring that people can access it at the highest level should be the first priority of all societies. We take a closer look at the team from Institut für Fach- und Führungskräfte (IFF), worthy winners in Corporate Vision’s Education and Training Awards 2021 where they were named Best Further Education Institute in Germany 2021, to uncover the secrets of their success. Based in Cologne, with locations in Düsseldorf (Erkrath) and Dortmund, the IFF has rapidly made a name for itself as one of Germany’s foremost providers of further education. Since being established in 2015, the team has gone from strength to strength in terms of making education accessible to as many people as possible. Much of the team’s focus is on the development of specialists and executives, with an eye on growing a workforce that is capable and comfortable leading the way on various issues for their companies. One of the ways in which the team have targeted their support for students is through the shift plan course. This way of working is designed to enable employees to participate in classes while working full time. The course runs either before or after their shift. Such flexibility allows the team to take a promotion training in a relatively short time. Through the IFF, they can become industrial master craftsmen, able to lead the field with their incredible skill. While the way in which courses are taught set the team apart, the quality of the teaching has always lain at the heart of the institute’s continued success. Experienced lecturers are combined with state-of-the-art teaching facilities in order to ensure that every lesson is taught in a thorough and comprehensive manner. Every part of the organization is built around making the process as easy and straight-forward for participants as possible. This has meant ensuring that any hurdles – academic or bureaucratic – must be overcome as efficiently as possible. Making further education as accessible as possible has proven to be what makes the IFF so popular. By focusing on those who undertake shift work, the team not only offer a swifter education solution than part-time or evening classes, but can serve those who might otherwise be ignored. Many of those who take on shift work come from migrant backgrounds, and therefore are able to benefit significantly from the innovative course model. It’s not just in the structure of this shift work course that the team excels. Over the years, and well before the pandemic, the IFF had earned an innovation award for the development of Online Live Learning 2.0. Lesson content can be accessed live via a 3D hologram. This solution means that students can access online education and learn as though they are in the centre of the room. It’s an astonishing achievement, and one which reflects the care and attention from the team. This movement towards online working was accelerated massively by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the IFF were one of the few organisations which was not surprised by the resultant popularity of the teaching method. While face-to-face teaching has its own benefits, the flexibility of learning online means that many prefer it. As a business based in Germany, designed to benefit those who live there, it’s easy to see why the motto of “Made in Germany” has garnered such popular support. While the industrial sector is slowly shrinking when compared to the service sector, it still has an important role to play, accounting for over a quarter of the region’s economic output. Only through investing in this sector by creating new and modern leaders can there be any hope of securing their position in the long term. Currently, there is a much-cited shortage of skilled workers, and only high-quality further education can make a real dent in this respect. Currently, the IFF scores particularly highly in the industry because of its incredible quality of service in terms of teaching and methods used. The business also excels in other areas, offering fresh commitments on the topic of sustainability to all. Part of the training furniture, for instance, has been recycled from marine litter. Having these examples at the heart of the team’s teaching means that students learn from experience and can build this knowledge into their own projects. Looking ahead, the future is bright for the IFF team. They intend to expand their impressive portfolio in the field of commercial advancement training. This growth for the firm must be achieved while maintaining the pronounced customer and employee satisfaction that has made the business such an inevitable success. Growth for the team is not just limited to the courses offered to students, with further locations in other federal states being explored for new campuses. Germany’s industry is a key part of its economy, and the IFF plays a major role in ensuring that this intrinsic part continues to thrive at all times. We celebrate the team’s enviable success and look forward to their impact on German industries for the next generation of leaders. Company: Institut für Fach- und Führungskräfte Web address: https://www.iff-meisterschule.de/ Address: Cottbuser Str. 1, 51063 Cologne Phone: 0221 65 07 44 30 Based in Cologne, with locations in Düsseldorf (Erkrath) and Dortmund, the IFF has rapidly made a name for itself as one of Germany’s foremost providers of further education. Since being established in 2015, the team has gone from strength to strength in terms of making education accessible to as many people as possible.