Journeyman – start-up sends craftspeople abroad.
Journeyman is a sort of "au-pair agency" for young tradesmen and women who wish to work in partner companies abroad.
In Germany yesterday, in Canada today.
Hot air blows in Jan Wienold's face while he uses the gas burner to carefully fuse together two rows of bitumen. While he works, the trained roofing assistant has one of the most beautiful views you could wish for: the skyline of Vancouver. Just a few months earlier, he was in Germany and going about his work as normal. At the time, he'd never imagined his job would see him spending half a year on the roofs of Vancouver. But the Berlin-based start-up Journeyman made it happen. Headed up by Samuel Wurster, the service helps tradesmen and women to network internationally and to work for an extended period abroad.
A sort of "year abroad" for craftspeople.
After studying business, Samuel helped his grandfather out every now and again in the summer months at the quarry. He also spent some time as a sergeant in the Swiss military surrounded by many colleagues with a background in the trades. "Working in the trades means you get to do a cool training and, because of the lack of skilled people, you also earn well," he quotes them as saying. "But when you see friends in their early to mid-20s posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram from the most beautiful places on earth as part of their year abroad from uni, you'd also like to do something similar." Truly impressed by the idea to also enable tradespeople the opportunity to spend a few months abroad, Samuel started researching. He found out that in many English-speaking countries, there is a lack of skilled personnel. The concept for his start-up was thus born.
Way up there: the Vito accompanies the roofer in his daily work.
A year abroad for tradesmen and women – Journeyman from Berlin makes it possible.
Gaining valuable work experience abroad? For a long time, this was anything but easy for tradespersons. But Samuel Wurster has now turned things around in this domain: his Berlin-based start-up Journeyman networks handymen and women from all fields with other companies around the globe. Calling all roofers, electricians and carpenters... where would you like to go? The USA, down-under, New Zealand or maybe Canada? Set off on your adventure!
Journeyman even provides assistance with visas, taxes and insurance.
Journeyman works via an online platform on which tradesmen and women like Jan can register for a job abroad lasting anywhere between 6 and 18 months. Currently, the company offers the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand as destinations. Samuel's team don't just help find a suitable job in one of their partner companies, they also actively provide assistance with such things as overseas health insurance, visas, tax numbers and accommodation for the initial days after arrival. In doing so, the start-up aims to help young skilled workers dare to take such a step in what is often their first time spending a longer period of time in a foreign country. After all, despite the great anticipation preceding the departure, there are some daunting aspects which need considering.
An international network for tradesmen and women.
But Journeyman is much more than just a job-finding portal or travel agency, explains Samuel. Equally as interesting as finding jobs for people is the international networking aspect of the firm: "In the long time, Journeyman could grow into a network on which tradesmen and women from all over the world can exchange their thoughts and ideas. Like a sort of LinkedIn for the trades." Former Journeyman participants are able to stay part of a community and share their experiences with others. Besides the jobs with especially high demand abroad – such as joinery, carpentry and roofers – the start-up's founder also wants to expand the offering to include other areas of the trades. And as if that wasn't enough: even return visits of foreign tradesmen and women would also be possible in the future in line with this concept.
Their mission: enabling tradesmen and women to do what other professions take for granted.
Samuel's aim is to network tradesmen and women from all over the world.
Working in a foreign country also involves learning new methods and techniques.
Journeyman opens up the possibility for all manner of craftsmen and women to discover the world.
Photos:
Damaris Riedinger & Alexandra Kurek
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