VAA Application Network Mobility & Mentoring Conference, Lisbon Stephan Gilow, VAA

What is the VAA? Founded in 1919 Germany’s biggest managerial association 30,000 members Acadamics/white-collar-employees from all professional categories Core area: chemical-pharmaceutical industry and close-by sectors

What is the VAA? The VAA’s primary goal is to represent its members’ interests concerning all labour issues Legal Services Representation of Interests Collective Agreements Publications Networking Co-operations & Benefits Membership of the VAA gives you legal certainty at the workplace, allows you to plan your professional life and gives you an opportunity to help shaping your working conditions. The association regards itself as a service organisation, which is defined by its member-oriented approach. The services offered by the VAA are tailored specifically to the needs of its members, so the association can guarantee that members’ interests will be represented effectively.

Structure of VAA 8 Landesgruppen (Regional groups) 160 Werksgruppen (Local groups on the sites of the companies) 250 work council members 150 executives’ committee members 57 supervisory board members

History of VAA Application Network 2007: Implementation of the double-membership between VAA and GDCh GDCh – Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (Association of German Chemists) Professional association representing the interests of German Chemists in national and international contexts Status 03/2017: 3,178 student members in VAA

History of VAA Application Network Main arguments for students for a membership in the VAA: Cross-company contacts and networking possibilities Collective labour agreements Information about employers, salary, conditions of employment et cetera Legal service What could be an interesting offer for students?

VAA Application Network Arrange contacts with VAA members in companies, the student is interested to work for No job agency, but provide information about the company, department, the job itself et cetera Head start for the VAA members

How does it work? Member is looking for a (new) job and finds interesting announcements www.vaa.de

How does it work? Member contacts the VAA office by phone or e-mail 

How does it work? VAA office contacts VAA members in the company (head of local group) 

How does it work? VAA member/head of local group is looking for a matching dialogue partner (education, department, experience et cetera)

How does it work? VAA member/head of local group informs the VAA office about dialogue-partner VAA contacts dialogue-partner to provide the name of the job seeking student-member 

How does it work? VAA office provides the contact details of the dialogue partner to the job seeking member 

How does it work? Goal: Job seeking member contacts the dialogue partner 

Conclusion Mostly exercised by young members who have just completed their degree Average of 4 to 6 cases per month Each case needs a tailored approach, since the needs of the members are very individual