A sociocratic concept of training for new employees was awarded € 10,000. It proves that personal development and that of the company can go together well.  

"Learning lines" are a plan for continuous learning that does not stop when a student graduates from high school. Hans Wentink, human resources officer at Endenburg Elektrotechniek, received an award for his idea from the City of Rotterdam. The jury chose Wentink's idea over 16 other entries and praised it for its creativity and innovation. [The award was announced during a conference on technical and vocational training for 12-18 year-olds.]

The first group of "learning liners" started last September. Eight youngsters started their career with Endenburg Elektrotechniek by working together with an experienced mechanic. Mid-October, the company and youngsters evaluated where they needed additional schooling, and started pursuing this schooling on the job.

Endenburg Elektrotechniek, a Rotterdam electrical contractor with about 150 employees, has a tradition of social innovation. In the 1970's, it was the first company in the world to adopt the Sociocratic Circle-organization Method (SCM). At that time, Gerard Endenburg, developer of SCM, was CEO of the company.

Wentink has been with the company for more than ten years and is very familiar with SCM. His idea for the learning line was an answer to a question posed by the City Council concerning how to invest in people in such a way that they permanently contribute to the continuity of a company.

Permanent education
"For me," Wentink explains, "learning in a company is an opportunity not only for employees to perform better, but also to improve the functioning of the company as well as society." Thus, the learning lines are inspired by SCM, for which permanent education is one of the pillars. It fulfills the need that individuals as well as the company and society feel to develop and to adapt to new situations and excel within the context in which they perform. This excellence increases their chances for survival in an ever changing world. 

For Wentink, the learning line is linked to SCM in another way: "When working with SCM, employees have influence on their work situation. Through the learning lines, they can co-decide what skills they want to develop further." Moreover, the learning lines will involve integral learning, including training in sociocratic meeting skills.

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