41 participants from companies and institutions learn about work at the EDW – further collaborations and job shadowing agreed upon
During the nationwide "Shift Change" on Thursday, September 24, people with and without disabilities gained insights into each other's working environments. The Darmstadt municipal enterprise for workshops and residential facilities (EDW) once again participated in the event, bringing together workshop employees with representatives from companies and institutions.
According to the city, a total of 41 people from 14 companies and seven institutions participated. They visited employees and trainees at the EDW (Employment and Training Center) and worked there under the guidance of workshop employees.
Arranged for observation visits and internships
The program also included information booths and a so-called speed-dating event between working groups and companies. Return visits by workshop employees to companies were also arranged, for example, as taster days or job shadowing.
The day of action is also intended to lead to longer-term collaborations. The EDW cites internships, integrated workplaces, and transitions to jobs with social security contributions as possibilities.
EDW operations manager Wolfram Cuntz sees direct contact as an opportunity to break down mutual barriers and to show companies the skills of the workshop employees as well as available support options.
Differences between private and public employers
Mayor Barbara Akdeniz emphasized the importance of private companies for a more inclusive labor market. She said the day of action could help attract more companies to offer such employment opportunities.
The city's 2024 progress report on Hesse's sustainability strategy indicates an employment rate of severely disabled people of 4.8 percent for 2022. For public employers, the rate was 7.0 percent, and for private employers, it was 4.3 percent. The legally mandated quota for employers required to employ people with disabilities is generally five percent.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/stip)
Featured image: Action Day Shift Change on September 24, 2026 at the Darmstadt Workshops and Residential Facilities. Photo: City of Darmstadt
