Chamber of Crafts in Leipzig
The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts is one of 53 German Chambers of Crafts and has its seat in Leipzig . It looks after nearly 12,000 craft businesses in the Leipzig administrative district with around 100,000 employees. In addition to the independent city of Leipzig, the two districts of Northern Saxony and Leipzig belong to the chamber district, the area of which is identical to the regional directorate of Leipzig. Two local craft associations work in the Leipzig chamber district.
history
The history of the Leipzig Chamber of Crafts goes back to the 19th century . The Saxon Trade Act of 1861 ordered the formation of chambers of commerce and industry. The constituent meeting of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry finally took place in Leipzig on August 2, 1862 . In this - unlike today - all traders were organized, i.e. industrial companies, wholesalers, but also craftsmen and small businesses. Large and small businesses were separated into two separate departments in the chambers. This common representation of interests through a chamber proved to be insufficient for both groups. The first Saxon Chamber of Commerce was established in Leipzig as early as 1868, the predecessor of today's Chamber of Crafts. As in the Hanseatic cities of Hamburg , Bremen and Lübeck , Leipzig had a chamber relatively early on that was primarily responsible for the craft. This was based on Leipzig's outstanding position as a trading metropolis.
In 1900 the Crafts Act came into force at the national level. In it, the representation of the handicrafts by chambers of handicrafts as public corporations was legally stipulated. The chambers of handicrafts were installed as carriers of general professional and public self-administration in the handicrafts. The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts also existed during the GDR , but essential democratic basic elements such as self-administration of the economic sector were missing here.
Immediately after the events of autumn 1989, the Leipzig craftsmen took their fate into their own hands again. The first free elections for the general assembly of the Leipzig Chamber of Crafts took place in spring 1990. The first president of the Chamber of Crafts in Leipzig in reunified Germany was Joachim Dirschka. He chaired the chamber until June 2011. From July 2011 to December 2014 Ralf Scheler was President of the Chamber of Crafts in Leipzig. He resigned from his honorary office to apply for the office of Lord Mayor of his hometown Eilenburg. In December 2014, Claus Gröhn, the then Vice President, took over the duties and was elected third President of the Leipzig Chamber of Crafts.
Locations
The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts is based in the House of Crafts, Dresdner Strasse 11/13. The industrial building in the graphic quarter was inaugurated in 1996 after being converted into a modern office and commercial building. In Borsdorf , around 20 km east of Leipzig, the Leipzig Chamber of Crafts maintains an education and technology center with over 700 workshop spaces, in which more than 30 trades are trained. There are also branch offices of the chamber throughout the Leipzig district. These are located in Oschatz , Torgau , Eilenburg , Delitzsch , Borna and Grimma .
organization
The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts is a corporation under public law. Self-employed craftsmen and workers from the craft sector determine within the framework of self-administration the organization of the chamber's tasks. The central voluntary body of the Chamber of Crafts is the 36 people - 24 employers and 12 employees - strong general assembly, also known as the general assembly. The board is elected from among their ranks, each for a term of five years. This consists of the President, the two Vice-Presidents (employer and employee representatives) and six other members, two of whom are employee representatives. The general assembly appoints the general manager of the Chamber of Crafts, who heads the main office. The general manager conducts the operative business on behalf of the board of directors.
tasks
Opening up markets
The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts is a member of the Enterprise Europe Network . The network supports companies in opening up foreign markets and implementing innovations. In addition, the Chamber regularly organizes events that prepare for foreign business. These include contact meetings, business meetings, country consultation days or business trips to selected target countries. Participation in trade fairs is one way of marketing products and services in the trade. The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts offers its member companies advice on preparing for their trade fair participation and organizes joint company stands.
Career orientation
The Chamber of Crafts in Leipzig supports young people in choosing a career and looking for an apprenticeship. Vocational orientation takes place in the chamber's education and technology center in Borsdorf. This is aimed at students in grades seven to ten. For this purpose, cooperation agreements have been concluded with 36 schools so far. Every year, more than 2,000 students take career orientation courses in the education center. During the school holidays, students have the opportunity to try out various professional fields for up to two weeks. In order to introduce students to the economy at an early stage, the Chamber of Crafts organizes the competition "Most innovative business idea for founding a student company".
Inter-company training instruction
In the Education and Technology Center (BTZ) of the Chamber of Crafts in Leipzig in Borsdorf, more than 40 professions are trained. The apprentices undergo inter-company apprenticeship instruction (ÜLU) parallel to in-company training. This ensures that apprentices from small craft businesses are also given all the knowledge and skills appropriate to the job description. As part of the practical training, the ÜLU supplements the in-company apprenticeship.
Master training
In the chamber's education center, master students from thirteen trades can complete the practical and theoretical preparatory course for the master craftsman's examination. The work pedagogy and business administration part can be attended part-time or full-time in Leipzig as well as in Borsdorf.
Monument preservation
The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts is committed to the preservation of monuments. Craftsmen who want to open up this market for themselves have the opportunity to be trained as a restorer in the craft or as a qualified craftsman for monument conservation. In addition, the Leipzig Chamber of Crafts awards the Monument Preservation Prize every two years and maintains a database for specialist companies.
German Armed Forces Advisory Center - Crafts and Trades
The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts works closely with the Bundeswehr . The Bundeswehr Advisory Center - Crafts and Trades in the Leipzig Region is located in the Chamber's Education and Technology Center. On the one hand, ways are opened up for young people to receive qualified training in order to then become active as regular soldiers. On the other hand, the center advises and qualifies retired soldiers on their professional reintegration.
Early science education
Saxony promotes early scientific and technical support. Children should learn and understand through play. The trade supports the initiative because early childhood education is important for later learning and working success in the company. The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts acts as a project partner and trains, for example, carers from day-care centers in scientific experiments as part of the "Little Researchers" project.