Under new conditions
MAN Energy Solutions remains committed to vocational training, even in
difficult circumstances. In September, 194 young people embarked on their
careers in Germany and Switzerland.
Can training function in the age of Covid-19?
Chief Human Resources Officer Martin Rosik answers this question with a
definite yes: “Our apprentices have shown that they can deal with this
situation responsibly. They were among the first people we got to work from
home at the start of the pandemic. They had to train remotely, but nevertheless
achieved excellent results in their intermediate and final examinations. We are
hoping for this same sense of responsibility from the young people who started
an apprenticeship with us this autumn.”
We will keep our training promise. Training is an important element in our company and we will not abandon it.
First day at work with ‘Hands, Face, Space’
The apprentices’ first
day of training caused Herbert Huttner quite a headache in the run-up to it. A
total of 122 newcomers completed their first day at work in Augsburg in five
groups to ensure that the distancing rules could be complied with at all times.
“We wanted to calm the young people’s fears and give them a positive feeling
despite the difficult circumstances. The fact that their first day at work
passed off so perfectly and was fun for everyone involved represented a great
organizational achievement by my team,” says the Head of the Augsburg Training
Center. According to Marco Tondo, Head of Vocational Training in Zurich, the
now familiar ‘Hands, Face, Space’ rules apply in Switzerland too: “Washing your
hands regularly, wearing a face mask and keeping your distance – even when
being taught directly by the training instructor – are now a firm feature of
the training routine.”
Answering questions and dispelling uncertainty
It is not just Covid-19
that made entering working life a challenge for the young people. Reports of
the fraught situation at MAN Energy Solutions no doubt gave them pause for
thought too. Have I chosen the right employer? Will I be able to complete my
training at all?
Chief Human Resources
Officer Martin Rosik can understand these thoughts and his response is
emphatic: “We will keep our training promise. Training is an important element
in our company and we will not abandon it.” It may be necessary, however, to
seek out other possibilities so as to place training on a secure foundation,
such as cooperating with other firms to help make optimum use of MAN Energy
Solutions’ training facilities. “I have no desire to mince words: we have a
challenging situation to overcome. But we will give every young person the
opportunity to gain professional experience for a certain amount of time
following their apprenticeship. In future, however, we will have to decide how
many young skilled workers we can take on in future from year to year,” the
Chief Human Resources Officer adds.