WELCOME TO WORK LIFE! Introduction days at Mahlo make the start of the apprenticeship easier
Being thrown in at the deep end on the first day of your apprenticeship? Not with Mahlo! For our first year apprentices introduction days with team games, lectures, and company tours mark the start of working life. This way, everyone can get to know the others better. That lessens the anxiety. After all, it is a big step from the classroom to the working world.
The first day
The change already begins with a different time: Instead of 8 o’clock like in school, the first day of work starts at 7.30. In the so called innovation hall, Mahlo’s technology centre and event location, the trainers Andreas Beil and Eva-Maria Markl welcome the entrants. There are ten of them in 2017: future industrial clerks, electronics technician, mechatronics, industrial mechanics as well as an IT specialist and a technical product designer. To wake and loose everyone up, the first team game is on the agenda. At the “Flying Carpet”, two groups of five people are each standing on a carpet part. The have to flip the carpet upside down. The challenge: nobody is allowed to leave the carpet. For doing this, you need skill, coordination and team spirit. Both teams mastered the task quickly and successfully.
Then it’s time to get acquainted with the new employer. CEO Rainer Mestermann, Head of commercial management Yvonne Pieper and several persons responsible for the training like Bernhard Fischer (Head of Engineering / Technology) and Stefan Medek (Engineering) have taken some time. Every apprentice has the chance to introduce him- or herself, talk about their hobbies and, of course, tell the others why they have chosen this specific career path. CEO Rainer Mestermann presents the most important facts about Mahlo, and then it’s already time for morning break, which takes place every day from 9 to 9.30. Together with their trainers, the young professionals make their way to the cafeteria for the traditional Friday sausage dish. Here, they meet some familiar faces because the newbies had gone bowling with their colleagues from second and third training year even before their apprenticeship started.
After everyone’s bellies are full, the brain cells get fed, too. The trainees should think about what kind of wishes and ideas they have for their education. In return, Ms Markl and Mr Beil explain what Mahlo expects of their apprentices. Apart from the basics like diligence and motivation, friendliness is a priority at the family owned company. To greet each other with a “good morning” or “have a nice evening” is a given – no matter if you’re the boss or the entrant.
During the following tour through administration the brand new Mahloneses get introduced to some of their new colleagues. They are always excited about new talents – and about the increasing number of trainees at Mahlo. “There are more and more every year”, you can hear more than one time.
Gaining knowledge
Their second day the apprentices start right at their work place for the coming weeks. The industrial group with Mr Beil at the training workshop, the commercial group in various parts of the administration. The first tasks have already been prepared: in the training workshop filing is practices while at the office the entrants become acquainted with the most important programs. The experienced colleagues know exactly which assignments can be completed well even by beginners. After all, Mahlo has been training young professionals for many many years. In the course of the day, touring the Mahlo-Museum and the production site is on the list. What are the constituent parts of the machines, how are they produced, what happens in the electronic division? All that and more Mr Beil explains precisely and easily to understand. Fed with new knowledge, everyone returns to their work places.
On day 3, another visit to production is planned, this time in the manufacture division. That’s where the machine frames and electronic systems are “married” and prepared for shipment.
With such an diverse program, the first work week goes by in a flash. In a joint meeting with Ms Markl and Mr Beil, the apprentices can describe their first impressions. In addition to that, the trainers have prepared another team game. At “string ball”, a wooden egg has to be transported with an iron ring on strings from one peg to another. Sounds easy? Not when eight players are blindfolded and only two can give commands! Together and with much fun, the apprentices also pass this test. The atmosphere is visibly more relaxed than on the first morning. Seeing that, you realise: the new ones have adapted well to the Mahlo-family.
We wish everyone an exciting and instructive time at Mahlo GmbH + Co. KG!
