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Fifth cohort of FAMS trainees in market and social research join the SOEP in September: A successful model for training a new generation of data professionals

Report of September 30, 2015

Since autumn of 2011, the SOEP has been offering in-house traineeships to students who are studying to be specialists in market and social research (Fachangestellte für Markt- und Sozialforschung, FAMS), a three-year degree program that is part of the German dual system of vocational training. The fifth cohort of FAMS students started in September: Selin Kara and Stefan Zimmermann.

The two graduates from the first cohort, Janine Napjeraj and Florian Griese, were hired by the SOEP after graduating in summer 2014. They provide support to the SOEP research staff in survey management and on one project with outside funding. The two FAMS from the second and third cohorts, Marius Pahl and Carolin Stolpe, have been working in the SOEP on data documentation and data generation since completing their degrees. Both will be starting university studies in October in business information technology and media information technology, respectively. They both plan to continue working for the SOEP as student assistants. Marvin Petrenz, who was part of the fourth cohort of FAMS, is close to completing his interim exams for his FAMS degree and has been working successfully on several SOEP projects.

FAMS trainer Knut Wenzig and his predecessor Michaela Engelmann are enthusiastic. According to Knut Wenzig, “FAMS master the entire range of tasks of a research data infrastructure—from developing questionnaires, preparing data, and compiling documentation to providing support to users the world over. The SOEP benefits greatly from their skills and reliability. And they benefit from working in an outstanding research environment.”

SOEP Director Jürgen Schupp is convinced that an outstanding research infrastructure like the SOEP needs highly skilled specialists in market and social research who do sophisticated research-oriented work. “Our FAMS are an ideal complement to our team. Our users are also getting to know and appreciate them for the competent and reliable services they provide as part of the SOEP,” he says.

 

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(FAMS from the left: Florian Griese, Janine Napieraj, Marius Pahl, Carolin Stolpe, Selin Kara, Marvin Petrenz, Stefan Zimmermann and SOEP Director Jürgen Schupp)

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