Heidenheim. Forty-two young people will begin their apprenticeships at Voith in Heidenheim this Tuesday. Seven of them are students enrolled in a dual studies program based on the “Ulm model”. Voith offers its apprentices a vocational education according to its own company model. Whether they choose a technical or a commercial track, the apprentices receive a practical education characterized by complex projects and interdisciplinary qualifications.

“Today these young people are embarking on their careers. Voith will ac-company them on this journey; Voith’s apprenticeship concept and tech-nologies will leave a lasting impression. We want to support our apprentices as best we can and work together with them to achieve a successful future,” said Erwin Krajewski, Director of Vocational Education at the Voith location in Heidenheim.

The newest members of the Voith corporate family were welcomed along with their parents in the Voith Training Center this morning. The apprentices and their trainers traditionally set out directly for the start-up days in Kempten, where plenty of team-building activities await them. An external trainer will facilitate team training activities with a range of challenges and the apprentices will race in a city rally through Kempten before building a raft that they will test directly on the river Iller.

Back at Voith in Heidenheim, the apprentices will be involved in real projects from day one. Voith rounds out the lesson plans of the vocational schools by offering internal instruction and courses on a variety of interdis-ciplinary topics. “Our apprentices have the opportunity to develop both professionally and personally,” says Erwin Krajewski. Voith apprentices can participate in projects like the recent construction of the FCH buggy or get involved socially in the scope of their apprenticeship. They can attend computer and test preparation courses according to their individual needs. Krajewski is proud of the Voith apprenticeship concept: “Our apprentices’ success proves the effectiveness of our concept. They regularly perform above average on the Chamber of Commerce exams.”

Last year Voith opened its new Voith Training Center in Heidenheim. “Both the apprentices and the company profit from a well-rounded apprenticeship of high quality. We make it possible for young people to grow into commit-ted, motivated employees,” says Regine Rendle, Director of Commercial Apprenticeships at Voith. “Qualified apprentices are the foundation of our future success.”

Voith offers apprenticeships in eight occupations in Heidenheim: industrial management assistant, office manager, specialist for warehouse logistics, industrial mechanic, machinist, mechatronics engineer, technical product designer and IT specialists for system integration. There are also students enrolled in an Ulm model course of studies, which involves college studies of either mechanical or electrical engineering combined with an appren-ticeship as an industrial mechanic or electrician for industrial engineering.

Well-founded apprenticeships with solid prospects for the future are also a priority for Voith at its locations abroad: Voith offers vocational education opportunities based on the German model in Brazil and China. The first commercial apprentices at the Voith China Training Center in Kunshan recently successfully completed their training. The center for vocational and continuing education is the company’s largest training center outside of Germany. Voith proactively works to secure skilled junior employees around the world from its own ranks.

Voith in Heidenheim has already begun its search for apprentices for 2016. The application deadline for the coming apprenticeship year is September 30, 2015.

Voith sets standards in the markets energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith employs more than 39,000 people, generates € 5.3 billion in sales, operates in about 50 countries around the world and is today one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe.