The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), joined by
Germany's Federal Minister for Labor and Social Affairs, Ursula
von der Leyen, celebrated Germany's best trainees in 2010.
During the awards ceremony, Patrick Thome (22) from Heidelberger
Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) came off as winner in the "Printer"
category. Thome is the second Heidelberg trainee to win the coveted
award in the five years that it has been presented - a Heidelberg
trainee also came top in 2007.
Trainees from well over 200 different professions who had
achieved top marks in their category in Germany were presented with
awards in front of an audience of 1,000 guests in Berlin's
Maritim Hotel. All of the winners passed their examinations with an
"excellent" grading. As the best graduate trainees in their field
in Germany in 2010, they are set for a glittering start to their
career and also show other young people positive prospects. Over
the past year in Germany, some 3,700 young people trained to be a
printer.
"The enthusiasm for printing and print products, the desire
to learn something really practical before going to university, and
the outstanding reputation of training at Heidelberg were the key
factors that encouraged me to apply for a training position at
Heidelberg," says Thome.
After completing his secondary education in 2007, Thome spent
his three years of training as a printer at the Heidelberg site and
then later at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site. His practical training
took in all formats - from the predominantly mechanical GTO to the
high-tech presses in the Heidelberg portfolio. Among other things,
he learned how to operate various presses and use new printing
technologies, to work with different printing processes and
software applications, and to manufacture printing forms. He also
received training in postpress operations and instruction on
compliance with health and safety and environmental protection
regulations.
In October 2010, Thome began studying for a Bachelor of
Engineering (B.Eng.) in mechanical engineering at the University of
Mannheim.
"We are extremely pleased that Patrick Thome's
outstanding achievement marks the second time a Heidelberg trainee
has come first in Germany," states Werner Bader, head of vocational
training at Heidelberg. "It highlights both the quality of our
training and the appeal of our concept to potential applicants."
Heidelberg takes on some 160 new trainees each year in a
range of different occupations at the Amstetten, Brandenburg,
Heidelberg, Ludwigsburg, Leipzig, and Wiesloch-Walldorf sites.
Trainees make up six percent of the workforce.
In addition to full professional training, Heidelberg also
offers committed young people a range of special training models
that prepare them for more in-depth training courses. For example,
the company offers qualified high school students the option of
completing an entrance qualification for a university of applied
sciences (UAS) in parallel to their vocational training. Heidelberg
also provides support in the form of a trainee program for selected
trainees who already have their high-school leaving certificate or
UAS entrance qualifications and who wish to take up studies in a
discipline such as mechanical or industrial engineering.
Further information on the awards is available at
www.dihk.de
Figure:
Patrick Thome, the DIHK National Champion 2010 in the
"Printer" category, with Hans Heinrich Driftmann, President of the
German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, at the awards ceremony on
December 13 in Berlin.
For further images or information about the company, please
visit our Press Lounge at
www.heidelberg.com.
For further information, please contact:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Public Relations
Matthias Hartung
Phone: +49 6221 92 5077
Fax: +49 6221 92 99 5077
E-mail:
matthias.hartung@heidelberg.com