Koehler Group starts up new apprenticeship campus

Paper Solutions. Print Solutions

For the first time, the Koehler Group is providing training for a total of 108 apprentices and dual work-study students across all apprenticeship years at its Oberkirch, Kehl, Willstätt, Weisenbach, and Greiz sites.

Chief operating officer Dr Stefan Karrer and HR corporate director Elke Renz welcomed 44 new apprentices and students to the Koehler Group at the start of September. This is the first year that the number of trainees has gone beyond the 100 mark. As a result, the group’s ambitious target, set within its sustainability strategy, of achieving a trainee quota higher than 4% by 2030 will be reached much earlier than scheduled.

The junior employees are starting their apprenticeship as electronics technicians, industrial administrators, industrial mechanics, mechatronics technicians, machine and system operators, paper technologists, and print media technologists. In addition, one student is starting a dual work-study degree in commercial informatics, and one student is embarking on a ‘sustainable science and technology bachelor of engineering’ dual work-study degree. At the site in Greiz, Thuringia, the industrial administrator, mechatronics technician, and paper technologist programmes have one trainee each. Two trainees are starting paper technologist programmes and one is beginning their electronics technician traineeship at Katz in Weisenbach.

Elke Renz emphasised the importance of training at the pre-opening of the new Koehler Group apprenticeship centre in Willstätt, saying: ‘Training is a key factor in Koehler’s success. It gives us the opportunity to train our very own experts, with our sights set on the future.’

A ceremony at the new site in Willstätt was attended by HR management and training management, as well as works council chairman Gebhard Müller and Dominik Gerber from the youth and trainee representation body.

Elke Renz commented, ‘Training is extremely important to our success, which is why we have invested extensively in the new ‘Koehler Group Campus’, a training centre for technical professions.’

Around 45 apprentices across all four training years will be trained there in a 3325 m2 space, starting from now. To ensure the budding mechatronics technicians, electronics technicians, and industrial mechanics receive comprehensive training, the team of trainers has been expanded to three members.

Installing leading edge equipment at the campus was a top priority; it includes 3D printers, C50 lathes, engraving machines, training stations, switch cabinets, rows of workbenches with vices, milling machines, spacious break rooms, meeting rooms, and welding booths.