Cooperation with Partners in Ethiopia

Where Vocational Training Partnership and Recruitment of Trainees for Germany go hand in hand

In this video interview, Heinz Rittmann (Construction Associations NRW), Alfred Bogatzki (road construction company Stratibo), and Negasa (graduate trainee from Ethiopia) discuss the vocational training partnership in Ethiopia and the recruitment of trainees for Germany. Topics include cooperation with Ethiopian partners, practical experiences within companies, bureaucracy and integration in Germany, as well as “fair migration.”

Das Interview was conducted on 27. March 2026. The full interview can be watched in German on youtube.

Sophia Grunert: Heinz, the Construction Associations NRW have been working with partners in Ethiopia for quite some time—even before launching the current vocational training partnership.

Could you briefly describe how your contacts and the current cooperation came about?

Heinz Rittmann: As you rightly said, we’ve been active in Ethiopia for a long time—it was actually our first country in Africa. We’ve been working there since 2000. Over time, we built up contacts and friendships.

In the past, we worked on joint ventures. It was never a mass movement, but some companies participated. Then, fortunately, the construction boom in Germany picked up significantly. Those few companies ultimately said: “Heinz, thanks a lot, but we need every worker here in Germany.” So the joint venture topic was temporarily put on hold.

Then the Skilled Immigration Act came into force. We considered the opportunities it offered and quickly concluded that in construction, the best migration route would be bring over apprentices. We held a workshop in Ethiopia and asked participants who would be interested in vocational training—and there was strong interest. We also held an event in Dortmund with construction companies, and no one objected. That’s how we got started.

In which countries are you currently active in recruiting trainees, and what successes have you achieved so far?

Heinz Rittmann: We are now active not only in Ethiopia, but also in Mozambique, Ghana, and Senegal. The bottleneck in preparation is German language courses—they are not widely available locally. Overall, we brought 65 people to Germany by last year. One had to be sent back—it didn’t work out at all with that person. Four or five cases require more effort, let’s put it that way. But: besides Negasa, three others have now taken and passed their exams. We expect more to follow in the summer.

What is the current state of vocational training in Ethiopia?

Heinz Rittmann: Our vocational training partnership in Ethiopia is quite interesting. On paper, Ethiopia also has a dual training system, with 75% practical and 25% theoretical components. However, the private sector is not involved. Companies are essentially completely excluded. Since the mid-1990s, many development projects have been initiated in dual training—across sectors. But if you look at the results today, they raise questions.

What have you achieved so far within your vocational training partnership, and what are your future plans?

Heinz Rittmann: It’s a small project, but we’ve already achieved some major milestones. First, Ethiopian construction associations have agreed to introduce trainee remuneration. Second, they decided that all construction companies should contribute to a training levy fund. Third, we agreed on two curricula that didn’t previously exist in Ethiopia: pipeline construction and sewer construction.

Of course, we still need to go through the state process—laws and regulations must be passed to implement our proposals. Our goal is to establish a truly dual system with strong private-sector involvement. If successful, this could also open additional pathways for labor migration. That would be ideal: the Ethiopian construction sector would benefit, and we would gain new opportunities to bring trainees and possibly skilled workers to Germany.

Sophia Grunert: Right now, however, you are mainly bringing in apprentices.

Impression from the VET partnership in Ethiopia. Picture: Bauverbände NRW

Alfred, your company participated—how did the process work from your perspective?

Alfred Bogatzki: I represent a road construction company from Münster. We have around 130 employees and have always trained apprentices—but like many others, we struggle to find them. Since I know Heinz Rittmann through the associations, he asked me: “Alfred, wouldn’t you consider taking someone from Ethiopia?” I said: Why not? What do I have to lose? At worst, it’s an experience. So we went ahead.

We held job interviews as video conferences with Ethiopia—Negasa was among them. There were three candidates, and I could choose one. I thought: “I like his face.” And that’s how Negasa came to Germany.

Everything went extremely well. The support we received was also something special for our employees. We had to organize many things for the “new citizen”: tax number, bank account, and so on—things we don’t usually deal with as a company. We also received support from the Senior Expert Service: someone accompanied Negasa and helped him with official procedures.

I can only say: we’ve had very, very positive experiences with Negasa—and with the other Ethiopians as well. They are friendly, polite, and hardworking. That kind of attitude is rare on the German labor market. I’ve shared this feedback within the associations: every company that took someone from Ethiopia is enthusiastic—across the board.

How was it for you, Negasa? What made you decide to pursue vocational training in Germany?

Negasa: Thank you. My name is Negasa. I recently completed my training—shortened—as a road construction worker at Stratibo. I’ve been in Münster for two and a half years.

At first, I heard from people in Ethiopia that it was possible to do vocational training in Germany. Then I attended a language school and learned German up to level B1. At the beginning, bureaucracy was a bit challenging: registration, insurance, and so on. But my company and the senior expert helped me a lot. I’m very satisfied. School, practical training, and the company—all went very well. I finished my training at the end of January.

Were there any surprises or difficulties when settling in Germany—apart from bureaucracy?

Negasa: Yes, some bureaucracy is still difficult. After finishing my training, I wasn’t allowed to work immediately. For about one and a half months, I couldn’t work—but since last week, I’ve been back on the construction site.

Sophia Grunert: That’s because the residence permit had to be changed from trainee status to skilled worker status.

Alfred Bogatzki: Exactly. With a trainee residence permit, he was only allowed to work ten hours a week—usually on Saturdays. He also does machine maintenance on Saturdays to earn extra money.

At the beginning, it was a different country for him: different climate, darker winters, different food. Even things like using a knife and fork took some getting used to.

Negasa with his collegues at Stratibo on the construction side. Pictures: Stratibo

Negasa, what are your plans for the future now that you’ve completed your training?

Negasa: It’s important for me to keep developing step by step—also within the company in Germany. The training went very well. I continue learning German twice a week after work. In the future, I want to combine what I learned in Ethiopia with my training here.

Sophia Grunert: What did you study in Ethiopia?

Negasa: I completed a degree in civil engineering. After that, I gained about two years of experience—mainly in bridge and building construction. Now I’m more interested in civil engineering and road construction.

Alfred Bogatzki: In the skilled trades, many doors are open. If you apply yourself, you can develop further—for example, become a master craftsman or technician. Negasa is well integrated, a popular team member on site, and I get very positive feedback.

He has arrived and is accepted—in the company and socially. I won’t stand in his way. It’s a different cultural background, and that takes time. But he’s developing very well.

Heinz, Negasa was part of one of your first cohorts. Have you learned anything since then? Do you do things differently now?

Heinz Rittmann: Yes, we’ve made several adjustments. For example, we introduced a “Letter of Consent.” As Alfred and Negasa said, Germany is not Ethiopia—there are differences. We now involve families more, informing them about what trainees can expect.

This helps manage expectations—so people don’t assume they’ll send home huge amounts of money. It also gives us a contact point via the family if problems arise. The letter is signed by family heads, construction associations, and the candidate.

We also introduced a new workshop addressing expectations of German employers. Additionally, there are standard workshops: “Living and Working in Germany,” “Training in the German Construction Sector,” and “Intercultural Preparation.”

Recently, we also addressed the issue of recruitment fees. Some agencies charge fees from candidates, but neither our partners nor we benefit from our activities to hire apprentices from Ethiopia for German companies. We’ve agreed that no such fees will be charged in the future—emphasizing “fair migration.”

Impression from the VET partnership in Ethiopia. Picture: Bauverbände NRW

Do you see synergies between the vocational training partnership and recruiting trainees from Ethiopia?

Heinz Rittmann: Definitely. As Negasa mentioned, many candidates have academic backgrounds. Ideally, in the future, we also want to recruit experienced construction workers—not just academics. This could open new migration pathways.

What do you wish for the future?

Heinz Rittmann: If everything continues positively—for trainees and companies—and we can later recruit not only trainees but also skilled workers, then everyone benefits. That would realize the “magic square of labor migration.”

Alfred Bogatzki: Health and satisfaction—that’s the most important thing. And for our company, I’d honestly like more “Negasas.” I hope the seed we’ve planted grows into something strong—so people can come legally, not via dangerous routes. That reflects well on our country. And we need people like that—people who truly contribute.

Negasa: I also wish for a good future. I’m no longer a trainee but a skilled worker now. I hope for a good time as a skilled worker and good integration. I wish everyone the best.

Sophia Grunert: I wish you the same—and good luck for your continued journey in Germany, for the company, for more people like Negasa, and for your ongoing work in the vocational training partnership. Thank you very much for your time and the interview.

Impression from the VET partnership in Ethiopia. Pictures: Bauverbände NRW