Success is when a training position also offers great prospects

With a view to always being able to offer customers the best solution, specialists with a broad knowledge of separation technology in particular provide an important basis at Flottweg, in addition to the technical possibilities. For this reason, Flottweg places particular importance on apprenticeships in order to train qualified specialists with the corresponding know-how for the future. For young people, an apprenticeship or industrial internship is the first step in the professional world and helps many to decide on their own career path. Tim Atzmüller, former intern and now apprentice industrial mechanic in his first apprenticeship year and Vanessa Grinzinger, apprentice industrial mechanic in the second year of her apprenticeship, report on their initial professional experience at Flottweg.

The company internship at Flottweg: Tim Atzmüller and Vanessa Grinzinger talk about their insights

Tim Atzmüller Vanessa Grinzinger

Tim Atzmüller already knew the company before starting his internship: “Since I come from the region, Flottweg has been a familiar name to me as a company for a long time. I then became particularly aware of the company during the vocational preparation of the secondary school: Flottweg was represented there at a careers fair, among other things. The training course sounded interesting, and to find out whether the profession of industrial mechanic and the company was right for me, I applied for a company internship.” Vanessa Grinzinger was also visibly enthusiastic about her first impressions of the company: “I have family members who already work at Flottweg. Then I did an internship and realized that I was interested in both the profession and the company. I found out more about the company and liked the idea that Flottweg machines were doing something for the environment and not against it.”

 

The tasks during the internship are extremely varied. Interns receive a complete overview of the individual task areas for the respective profession. “From turning to milling to filing – we were able to carry out a wide variety of tasks and were then able to demonstrate what we had learned, by producing a small test workpiece,” explains Tim Atzmüller enthusiastically. The interns usually find the production of the test piece most satisfying, because they “can implement what they have learned directly and at the same time gain a practical insight into the working world at Flottweg.”

 

Many interns then apply for an apprenticeship, says Atzmüller. The majority of them are enthusiastic about the first experiences they have had at Flottweg and would like to deepen this insight into the world of work through training, the apprentice continues. But, according to Tim Atzmüller, considerate and friendly behavior among colleagues also plays an important role: “While I liked the work itself, the way my colleagues behaved toward each other was also the deciding factor in my applying for an apprentice position. There was a pleasant atmosphere in the training workshop and I also got along very well with the instructors.”

Training at Flottweg: Application process “relaxed and without pressure”

The application process for industrial mechanics is easy and straightforward at Flottweg. After a recruitment test, which consists of a theoretical and a practical part, the applicants are invited to interviews in three teams, which, according to Vanessa Grinzinger, means that “the interview is very relaxed and the feeling of excitement has disappeared after a short time”. The training then lasts 3.5 years for industrial mechanics, although it can be shortened to 3 years if the apprentices perform well in the company and at school. In addition to the activities within the company, the apprentices learn important theoretical skills and knowledge in block lessons at Vocational School 1 in Landshut.

Tim Atzmüller is very pleased that he applied for an apprentice position after completing his internship: “The initial impressions I gained during my internship were confirmed during my training. The cohesion and the sense of community that exists between the apprentices and the instructors is noticeable in their daily work. I particularly like the variety, because you don’t repeat the same thing every day.” Vanessa Grinzinger is also enthusiastic about her training and does not regret her decision in any way: “I like the fact that we work directly for production and are therefore directly involved in the value creation process. The training is also very varied. In addition to turning or milling, we are also allowed to operate CNC machines. In the second year of training, we are then able to take part in a welding course. Even though Flottweg now has many employees, it still feels very familiar, because we are already involved in production during our training.”

Day-to-day work during training as an industrial mechanic

The working day at Flottweg starts at 7 am for the apprentices. On Mondays, the assignments for the coming week are then distributed in a general meeting. In addition to the lunch room, the training workshop also has a training room, a mechatronics area, workbenches, a CNC section, a welding area and a storeroom. About half an hour before the end of the working day, everyone tidies up together so that a fresh start can be made immediately the next day.

In order to be optimally prepared for the future, the industrial mechanics are assigned to various transfer departments after the intermediate examination in the middle of the second apprenticeship year, the mechatronics technicians already at the end of the first apprenticeship year. Prior to this, the basic training takes place in the in-house training workshop. Apprentices also have individual ideas about the future, and so Flottweg attaches great importance to offering apprentices encouraging prospects within the company. “I would be happy to continue working in this environment for a few years after my apprenticeship to gain professional experience and deepen my knowledge. It may then be possible to start training as technician or master craftsman,” says Vanessa Grinzinger.

Interested in getting to know training at Flottweg?

Whether it’s a company internship or apprenticeship – Flottweg is always on the lookout for the specialists of tomorrow. It is still possible to gain an initial insight into Flottweg’s working world during a company internship. In addition to training as an industrial mechanic, Flottweg also trains mechatronics technicians, warehouse logistics experts and industrial management assistants with further qualification as foreign language correspondents.