Berufsförderungswerk Halle (Saale) gGmbH
Berufliches Bildungszentrum für Blinde und Sehbehinderte
Vocational rehabilitation - how?
Karsten W. has been working as a crane operator for years and he therefore was equipped with a "special view". He used to built appartments and he managed his personal life with family, home and journeys as well.
A road accident apparently changed his life plan into a lack of perspectives. Although he got the full medical attendance for his head injuries, he suffered from dizziness and a severe visual impairment.
The young man had to accept, that he had lost the ability to operate cranes. He nearly saw himself as a pensioner in lifetime.
Only after consulting his pension insurance agency he knew there would be a way out. He heared about the three vocational training centers in Germany specialised in vocational retraining for visually impaired and blind people.
An additional important fact for him was that the BFW Halle has got comfortable residential accommodations surrounded by beautiful parks and that there are a lot of offers for spending the leisure time as well. Although he wistfully looked back at his desired profession he became accustomed to the idea of doing a vocational retraining.
But what is possible still? What vocational perspectives are there?
After a two weeks in-house assessment and an occupational counselling at the BFW Halle the former crane operator had the complete information about IHK certified vocational education (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) and individual adaptive qualifications. In a final talk he got the recommendation for a vocational retraining according to his individual needs. He had to understand that his own idea of attending a preparation course for vocational rehabilitation and doing an education as an office clerk won't be realisable because of his low visual acuity.
According to this fact Karsten W. followed the recommendation to attend the one year basic course in techniques for the blind and to do a reeducation as a call center agent. He was encouraged in his decision by the fact that the school assures an assisting support by rehabilitation and integration advisors to make a vocational and social integration possible.