Equality of educational opportunity for all people around the world – this is the vision that inspired Sabine and Hans Bachner to establish the Bachner Foundation in 2020. George Onyango (25) in Kenya also heard the call. In 2021, he became the Foundation’s first scholarship holder (we already told his story in the Bachner News). George is now in his first year of training at our company, learning to become an electrical engineering technician for energy and building technology. He and his fellow scholarship holder John Cherfils (24) from Haiti have also just learned how to swim. Bring on the summer!
John has been in Germany since May 2022. He has just completed his intensive language course and received his B1 language certificate. On April 1, he switched tracks and began his first year of training as an electrical engineering technician for energy and building technology. Victor Lievano (26) from Venezuela also worked hard on his language skills: in July 2022, he received his B2 language certificate. Since then, he has been working towards his dual studies degree in electrical engineering and information technology at the Munich University of Applied Sciences and the Oberschleissheim location of the Bachner Group. His girlfriend also helps him learn German. He lives with her and her family, so he is surrounded by the new language every day. Victor was politically persecuted in his home country. It took a great deal of effort from the Foundation to keep him in Germany.
How do you become a Foundation scholarship holder?
On their way to Germany, the scholarship holders first have to master a long paper trail. It takes around six months of preparation before a scholarship holder can be welcomed into Germany. The first step is to write a letter of motivation, together with a CV and school certificates.
Then they meet Sabine Bachner and her team in a video call. “We also have someone on the staff who speaks several languages and helps the scholarship holders with administrative formalities and organizational matters after they arrive. This makes it easy to overcome initial language barriers,” explained Sabine Bachner. When it fits for both sides, it’s time to go to the embassy.
Sabine Bachner prepares all the documents for the scholarship holders, so all they have to do is sign them. “A perfect application portfolio significantly increases your chances when you apply for a visa. And if the application is rejected, we have our lawyers on hand,” said Sabine Bachner. The first step in opening the door to Germany is to get a visa to learn the language. Meanwhile, the Foundation finds an apartment, organizes employment contracts and sets up a secured bank account with 10,000 euros. George, John and Victor receive a fixed monthly sum from this account.
Help with everyday tasks as well
The scholarship holders spend four to five years at the Foundation. After completing their specialized training, they have a good chance of getting a permanent residence permit – or they return to their home country with a skill and build a future for themselves. The Foundation doesn’t just take its scholarship holders under its wing in a professional sense. It also helps them to overcome some unfamiliar hurdles in their everyday lives, such as buying winter clothes, doing bank transactions or getting to know the cultural differences in Germany. For their free time, connections are made with soccer clubs and gyms, which makes it a little easier to settle into a foreign country.
Sometimes, they also need to improvise at work. If they don’t know the many technical terms to be learned by heart, they can simply stick easy-to-understand symbols on the cable drums and toolboxes. “We are very grateful to the training managers and teams for their fantastic integration work, despite the time pressure in their daily routine,” commented Sabine Bachner to emphasize the joint commitment of everyone involved. But the Bachner Foundation is not only active in its own industry.
George’s brother, Michael Onyango (18), is currently waiting for his visa and entry into Germany. After his language course, he wants to start his training as a nursing assistant at the Ilmtalklinik Mainburg hospital in September 2024. What does Sabine Bachner want for the future? “It would be great to be able to have female scholarship holders at the Foundation. To realize that goal, we are happy to approach employers from all the industries.”