How continuing education mentors can strengthen the plastics industry
With the new project “WBMplusK – Wandel begleiten” (WBMplusK – Accompanying Change), the SKZ Plastics Center, in collaboration with the Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (f-bb), will be training continuing education mentors for companies in the plastics industry over the next three years. The project aims to strengthen continuing education in the workplace in the long term, promote individual employee development, and support companies in dealing with the increasing pressure to transform.
The team behind the newly launched project “WBMplusK – Accompanying Change.” (Photo: Luca Hoffmannbeck, SKZ)
SKZ launches “WBMplusK” project
During the project period from December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2028, a total of 35 continuing education mentors will be trained and around 600 mentoring sessions will be conducted. In the future, the qualified mentors will support employees in their companies in identifying individual qualification needs and developing suitable continuing education paths.
SKZ is responsible for project management and is working with numerous industry and association stakeholders. Project partners include the Industrieverband Klebstoffe e. V. (Industrial Association for Adhesives), the Kunststoff-Netzwerk Franken e. V. (Plastics Network Franconia), Region Mainfranken GmbH, TecPart, and other partner companies from the plastics industry.
Continuing education mentors approach employees in a low-threshold manner, break down barriers to continuing education, identify strengths, areas for development, and qualification needs, and point out suitable learning paths. At the same time, they work closely with managers, internal departments, works councils, and staff councils, improve the operational framework for continuing education, and mediate between employees and external education providers, associations, or funding agencies.
In this way, they help to systematically anchor continuing education in the company and to qualify employees for new tasks in a targeted manner. Ruben Schlutter, Group Leader for Quality Management Training at SKZ, emphasizes the importance of the new project: "With WBMplusK, we are creating a structure that enables companies to recognize the potential of their employees at an early stage and to make targeted use of it. In an industry that is rapidly evolving technologically, it is crucial to think strategically about continuing education. Continuing education mentors provide support in precisely this area – pragmatically, practically, and with direct benefits for companies."
The project is funded by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) with funds from the Federal Ministry of Education, Family, Seniors, Women, and Youth (BMBFSFJ) and provides new impetus for sustainable personnel development in the plastics industry.
SKZ offers a comprehensive portfolio of continuing education events on plastics, processing methods, and quality assurance.
