Weinheim, September 2, 2019 Digital learning, modern technologies and project collaboration in interdisciplinary teams: In the Freudenberg Group’s training center, young people are trained for the labor market of the future. Ninety-two young people are starting their traineeships at the Weinheim site today. Fifty of the trainees are with the Freudenberg technology group and the other forty-two are with affiliated companies. The trainees include eleven women and eighty-one men, along with twenty-five students from the Baden-Wuertemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW). “At the Training Center we provide a professional traineeship in a modern, teaching environment using high technology machines, and all this in an international workplace,” says Dr. Rainer Kuntz, Head of Training. “From the very start, we focus on individual responsibility in interdisciplinary teams and understanding of processes.” Group Works’ Council member, Bernd Egner, also greeted the new trainees.
One of them is Jan from Heppenheim, Germany. The 24-year-old is starting his mechanical engineering studies with a focus on process technology. He successfully completed his traineeship in mechatronics at Freudenberg and his general qualification for university entrance (Abitur) at the Hans-Freudenberg School in Weinheim.
In September 2012, he started his training course in mechatronics at the Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Business Group. “The three-year course led to a new profession that combined mechanics and electronics,” explained Jan. “I have always been interested in both. I never thought that a technical training course would act as a launch pad for an advanced high school graduation and admission to a university. I am thrilled to have such a huge opportunity.” The mechatronics training course is currently one of the most popular on offer at Freudenberg.
What does a mechatronics expert do? They combine mechanical, electrical and electronic components to form complex systems. Mechatronics is a maintenance profession: In addition to the installation of control software, mechatronics experts repair and service machines and systems. Mechatronics experts work in industries as varied as medical technology, automotive assembly, aerospace manufacturing, industrial machinery, and automation technology.
The dual training system combines practical and theoretical aspects, and this is a decisive advantage for the 24-year-old: “It is easier for me to understand how something works if I am able to use it myself.” During his training course, he moved between classroom modules at the vocational school and on-site work at the company. In the second year of the training course, he was sent to other Business Groups as a trainee. “The working atmosphere with my coworkers was always very pleasant.” The mechatronics expert has advice for students and job-seekers: “Think about what you are interested in beforehand and do an apprenticeship to gain experience. I knew that I wanted to do something technical. Almost every machine has mechatronic systems,” says the Heppenheim native.
Freudenberg offers training for three of the ten most popular vocational professions: Electrician, mechatronics, industrial clerk. Traineeships are available for a total of 13 vocations - along with nine courses of study in technical and business administration areas with the DHBW in Mannheim. Applications can be made at the Freudenberg training homepage at www.ausbildung.freudenberg.com (Job search, Job type: Traineeship and DHBW studies).