Aletta Haniel Program

Dilara Cengiz has made it: a 20-year-old apprentice at DPD GeoPost in Duisburg, she is about to finish her training as an office clerk. In 2010 things were not looking so rosy, Dilara was not doing well at school. That is why she joined the »Aletta Haniel Program« when it was offered. »I applied because I want to graduate with good marks. My marks aren’t so good – especially math is a problem. I hope that I can improve with the help of remedial teaching«, said the then 14-year-old at the time. Now, Dilara only has one more exam to pass. »If I pass this, DPD will take me on as an office clerk next year. I am very happy about this offer because it’s the kind of area I’d like to work in«, she says today. For a long time she did not know how to plan for her future. The »Aletta Haniel Program« has really helped me. In eighth grade I didn’t want to study. I wanted to spend time with my friends. But the two programme workers did not budge. Over the course of many conversations they convinced me that it’s important to think of the future. This helped me gain self-confidence, and I learned to work on my strengths and my weaknesses.« Soon, she realised that she enjoys organising and finds it easy to keep an overview – crucial skills for an office clerk.

»I applied because I want to graduate with good marks. My marks aren’t so good – especially math is a problem. I hope that I can improve with the help of remedial teaching«, said the then 14-year-old Dilara Cengiz at the time.«

»The strength-based approach was what we instantly found convincing about the ›Aletta Haniel ­Program‹«, says Margarete ­Schadach, Dilara’s education coordinator. »It’s about finding tomorrow’s professionals. Marks are secondary. We feel that young people who don’t have the highest marks can make very good apprentices through their motivation and reliability. Marks don’t reflect any of that. It’s much more important that the youngsters know what they want and what they are capable of. We want them to show us – because everybody deserves a chance.« Dilara joined DPD GeoPost via a two-week placement. The logistics firm has been partnering with the »Aletta Haniel Program« from the beginning. »We instantly realized that Dilara was just right for this placement. We offered her a one-year long-term work experience placement, where she came to us once a week. In the end, both sides knew that it worked, and we managed to win Dilara as an apprentice.«

Dilara Cengiz

My training has shown me that learning can be fun. My plan is to get a business degree in the next few years. Maybe I could then spend some time working abroad.

The »Aletta Haniel Program« has given Dilara self-confidence to plan her own future. She now knows what her strengths are and how to reach her own goals, and she feels at home at DPD GeoPost. »Right now, I work in the transport department, and I will stay here after finishing my training. I particularly like that I’m in contact with many people every day with a great variety of customer requests. I work with all the other departments at DPD. I love this variety.« What are her plans for the future? »These days, I like thinking of the future«, she says, laughing. »My training has shown me that learning can be fun. My plan is to get a business degree in the next few years. Maybe I could then spend some time working abroad.«