Supported Learning visit to Germany

Today was our first day going to our work placements. We walked to the college (about 10 minutes from where we have been staying) for our breakfast. Later two minibuses arrived to take our two groups to the two Social Firms.
Group 1
Frau Austermann and Silvio showed us around Suhler Werkstatten. It was quite big, there are about 300 people working there.
Asher and Catherine were packaging bicycle lights into bags.
John K was fixing a bike attachment to a piece of card using a plastic fastener.
John W and Gonzalo were dismantling and repackaging defective torches.
What the students had to say about the day:
Asher: Hard work, nice food
Catherine: Hard work, I enjoyed using the machinery (she then went on to explain the whole process)
John K: Fantastic experience
John W: Good
Gonzalo: At first it was intimidating, but then, once I got used to it , it was good.
Judith: Despite the fact that I spoke very little German and the people there spoke very little English we were able to communicate with the staff and the workers. I found that work was being completed by people with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities. All were happy to show me their work and one way or another tell me what they were making and for what (for cars, bikes, aeroplanes and office suppliers).
Group 2
Scott: It was a great day working with Stevan packing boxes with ring binders.
Sean: I felt happy to see the work we had just done going off in a lorry.
Kerry Ann: I really liked it. They showed us around then gave us some work. We got aa key and a locker, but we had to give them back when we left. I quiet enjoyed it.
Jagdeep: I enjoyed it, packing boxes with red ring binders. I made people laugh at the eennd. I told Stevan he speaks English well.
Martina: I enjoyed being shown around, the place was really nice, the food was really nice. I enjoyed helping put the labels on the boxes.
Waltraud: I thought the people very nice, they showed us around, explained about the customers who buy from them how their workers get an income and how this social enterprise works. Best of all the participants saw what happened to the work they completed.