New Training Year, New Faces – Getting to Know Our Workers During the Arrival Phase
New Training Year, New Faces – Getting to Know Our Workers During the Arrival Phase
A new training year has just started with us – new faces, new stories, and for me as a trainer, once again that moment where everything begins from scratch: I don't know these people yet, and they don't know me or our workshop either.
What the new workers bring with them
Every group that starts with us is put together differently – but a few themes keep coming back. This training year, our new garden-and-landscape workers mainly bring three areas with them, each to a different degree: learning difficulties and cognitive limitations, mental health conditions, and language or social barriers.
What matters to me here: these aren't labels that stick to a person, but starting points. Some need more time with reading and arithmetic, others are dealing with anxiety or the aftermath of difficult periods in life, and others have only recently started learning German or simply haven't had much chance yet to prove themselves in a structured working routine. That's exactly why we look at each person individually before the actual training begins.
The arrival phase – before anyone picks up a spade
Before anyone here picks up shears or a spade, there's what we call the "arrival phase." The name says it all: it's about the new workers first arriving – in the workshop and in the group – and about us as trainers finding out where each individual actually stands.
This isn't an end in itself. Everything we learn in this phase about a person's strengths and support needs feeds directly into their individual development plan. Only once I know who I'm working with can I shape the training so it genuinely fits that person – instead of treating everyone the same way.
The assessment: four areas, spread over several days
In practice, this runs through individual written tests spread across several days – deliberately not all at once, so nobody feels overwhelmed. Four areas are assessed:
- General knowledge – an overview of what baseline knowledge someone starts with.
- Mathematics – from basic arithmetic to simple applied tasks like the ones that come up later on the job (measurements, quantities, material needs).
- German language skills – reading and writing ability, which later matters for training logs, work instructions, and vocational school.
- Manual skill – hands-on and motor skills that are needed daily in landscaping work later on.
Each test is carried out and assessed individually, not as a group exam. That takes the pressure off and, at the same time, gives us a more honest picture, because nobody has to measure themselves against anyone else. In the end, there's no "pass" or "fail" – the results simply form the basis for what individual support looks like over the coming weeks and months.
Why this matters to me
These first days and weeks often play a big part in how much confidence someone develops in their own training. Someone who notices that their weaknesses aren't judged, just acknowledged as a starting point to build on, begins the next three years very differently than someone who feels under pressure from day one.
As before: I deliberately write about topics and methods here in general terms, not about individual people. Real rehabilitation participants stay out of this – no names, no identifying details.
Conclusion
For me, a new training year always means the same thing: watch, listen, assess – and only then plan. The arrival phase is the foundation for everything that follows. I'm curious how this new group will develop, and I'll keep reporting here once there's something from everyday practice to share.
This article was written by Gartenwerker. Thanks for reading!
Tags: #english #training #education #apprenticeship #rehabilitation