Technisches Englisch (31)

The ApprenticeZu Beginn des neuen Jahres wieder einmal eine Englisch-Lektion im Heft. Lucy hat sich tatsächlich für eine Elektrikerlehre in England entschieden, sehr zur Freude ihres Onkels. Nun geht es in die Bewerbungsphase. Um sich von vielen anderen Bewerbern zu unter-scheiden, geht es nicht nur darum, die Bewerbungsunterlagen an möglichst viele Stellen zu schicken.

Lucy is busy with job hunting and carefully planning her marketing plan. Presenting information about yourself so that it is relevant to each and every ap-

plication that you make is not an every-day task and therefore requires some preparation. After some thorough research about potential employers, she is now ready to discuss some issues with her uncle.Lucy: Why do you have so many different levels of ap-prenticeships? What are the exact differences?Jack: We have four levels of apprenticeship qualifying you either at intermediate, advanced, higher or degree level. You start the apprenticeship at your current level of qualification and if you’re very ambitious, you can even progress from intermediate level up to a master’s degree.

This, of course, requires many years of training and education. An intermediate apprenticeship would be equivalent to five good GCSE passes. It allows you to con-tinue with an advanced apprenticeship which in turn cor-responds to the A-level. In this way, you can carry on until you finally reach university level.Lucy: Oh, I don’t think that I’d have the stamina for such a long time. Earning some money in the not too distant future wouldn’t be so bad either. Jack: That’s right. By the way, do you need any help with your applications, Lucy? You look extremely busy with so many lists in front of you.Lucy: Well, I thought it would be a good idea to draw up some lists. I have one with the organisations I would most like to work for. That’s my »1st priority list«. On my sec-

Bild: »Tell me a little about yourself« can put high pressure on the job interview candidate who does her best to appear professional, interest-ed, friendly and con-fident

Que

lle: S

teffe

n Bo

isel

le /

ww

w.a

giro

.de

Autorin: Sabine Barz, English communication-skills trainer, www.english-wanted.de

72 de 1-2.2021

Meister von Morgen

DE_2021_1-2_67-73_MvM_MD.indd 72 17.12.2020 11:50:37

ond one, I have the ones that aren’t ideal but still a great place to get a job. Jack: How can you tell the difference?Lucy: I’ve been to all their websites and read about their openings. Moreover, I’ve tried to find as much informa-tion about them as possible. This also includes my geo-graphical preferences and salary. Jack: Well done. What’s on your »third priority list«?Lucy: I’ve noted down there some possibilities that are al-so worth considering. Some companies, however, are very far away from here and relocating is no option at all for me. My next step is now writing my CV in English as well as a covering letter. Jack: Oh, can’t remember when I did this the last time.Lucy: That’s okay, Uncle Jack. I can find all this on the in-ternet. I might just ask you for some special expressions in English and how to convincingly present myself to stand out from the crowd.Jack: This is also an important subject for the job inter-view that’ll hopefully follow.Lucy: Don’t remind me of this. What a nightmare. That’s a tough nut. Jack: I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Every interview is a step further towards your apprenticeship. And even if you make mistakes, you can always learn from them when you reflect on your performance afterwards. Lucy: I don’t want to think about this now. First of all, I have to do some more research about interesting compa-nies that have apprenticeship vacancies so that I can tailor my letters specifically to their needs. Then I must find out who the relevant person is to send it to. Jack: Don’t forget to describe your background, that is your qualifications, unique skills, work experiences and so on. Lucy: I could use some help with all this and also the question of why I’d make an ideal apprentice. Look at this advertisement for example. They offer lots of benefits such as company pension, private dental and medical in-surance and even wellness programmes. Jack: Oh great, that’s my girl, starting with the benefits but finding out about the actual work later on.Lucy: I was only joking, Uncle Jack, particularly since I don’t know how long I will be staying in England. But what about an English curriculum vitae or CV for short?

I’ve read that there should be a brief personal statement at the top of my CV to indicate how my interests and skills align with the particular apprenticeship. We don’t do this in Germany, as far as I know. But we also start with the most recent job, training or experience and then work back. Jack: You should also explain what your work experience or work placement entailed and the skills and benefits from that for your future employer. Lucy: Well, that’s easy. To sum it up: I organized and structured my uncle’s household and job tasks by mak-ing sure he now has the most up-to-date technology in his office. Sounds very convincing to me. Jack: We might have to express this a little differently and put this into more professional terms, though. (Chuckles)

Grammar

Let us continue with our discussion about the different ways of expressing the future in English. Besides the »will-future«, there is also the »going to« future.

The »going to« future • Use »am/is/are« + »going to« + infinitive (Grundform

des Verbs): I’m going to meet him during my stay in Lon-don. (Ich werde ihn während meines Aufenthalts in London treffen.)

• For negative sentences »not« has to be used: We aren’t going to change the wiring. (Wir werden die Leitungen nicht auswechseln.)

• For questions, only the word order (Wortreihenfolge) has to be changed: Are they going to repair the heating? (Werden sie die Heizung reparieren?)

Use the »going-to« future • To talk about something you want or intend (beabsich-

tigen) to do: He’s going to serve an apprenticeship in a big company. (Er wird seine Lehre in einer großen Fir-ma absolvieren.)

• To talk about things you expect (erwarten) to happen because of specific signs: Look at the black clouds, it´s going to rain. (Schau die schwarzen Wolken an. Es wird wohl regnen.)

So much for today. Let’s see whether Lucy will find a com-pany where she can serve an apprenticeship. It could be very interesting to read about her experiences. More of this in the online version of this journal. Stay healthy, stay tuned!

Online gibt es mehr über Lucy und Jack Die Vokabelliste der kursiv gestellten englischen Begriffe finden Sie wie immer zusammen mit dem hier abge-druckten Beitrag auf www.elektro.net → Ausbildung → Technisches Englisch. Hier finden Sie auch alle weiteren Beiträge der Englisch-Reihe, beginnend mit dem Beitrag »Jack of all trades«.

The education system in the UKEducation in the UK is compulsory from ages 5 to 16. There’s a national curriculum to ensure that all stu-dents learn the same. The two main types of schools are State Schools, which are free because they are government-funded. In Private or Indepen-dent Schools, students have to pay fees. These schools don’t have to follow the national curricu-lum so strictly. Besides, there are Public Schools, which are the most expensive and elite schools. The term public school therefore is quite misleading. Ea-ton is probably the most famous one.

(To be continued in the next issue)

73www.elektro.net

Meister von Morgen

DE_2021_1-2_67-73_MvM_MD.indd 73 17.12.2020 11:50:41