Exams passed

Medebach. Apprenticing at the company Paul Köster GmbH is different. There is no workshop here specifically meant for training young people that is disconnected from the real production processes. At the globally active mechanical engineering company, trainees are actively involved in daily production from day one and assume direct responsibility for customer projects. It is a practice-oriented training concept that stands out in this region and has a clear goal. “We train apprentices specifically for us, as an investment in our future. There is a guarantee to be taken on after successful completion of the apprenticeship in our company,” said Hildegard Köster, HR Manager at the Medebach-based company. The 100% acquisition rate over the past 11 years and the very good examination results speak in favor of this concept. Once again five trainees in the technical area have successfully completed their training at the Medebach-based special mechanical engineering company. Willi Pracht, a former trainee and a newly qualified precision machinist, will even take part in the upcoming performance competition put on by the Chamber of Trade for the South Westphalia region due to his very good examination results.

Practice-oriented training concept

The intensive apprenticeships of Kai Ortner, Rene Kümmel, Willi Pracht (all trained as precision machinists) as well as Jannik Waßmuth (industrial engineering electrical technician) and Lukas Stahlschmidt (cutting machine operator) lasted 3.5 years. “Right from the start, our trainees pass through various specialist departments depending on their training occupation. This way, they learn how to handle projects and deal with customers at an early stage and can enter their professional lives directly without any problems. This training concept has been very successful, and we regularly review and optimize it,” said Hildegard Köster. It is also important that the trainees can get to know the processes and departments that are intertwined with and are related to their respective fields of activity. This creates an overall understanding of the processes in the company.

The quintet took their first steps in their professional careers on August 1, 2016, and then successfully demonstrated their acquired skills in front of different examination boards in mid- and late January 2020. The new skilled workers have hit the ground running in their professional lives and are looking forward to the new challenges at Paul Köster GmbH.

Mentors, meet-and-greet day, tour of the facility

With eight different apprenticed professions, the Medebach-based mechanical engineering company has around 300 employees and offers a wide range of opportunities for young people from the region. The concept also includes dual-track academic/vocational degree programs and internships, all of which serve to generate enthusiasm amongst the next generation of employees. Paul Köster’s excellent reputation around the world is thus not limited to its expertise as a machine manufacturer tailoring its vertical range of products to customers’ individual needs: The company’s vocational training approach has also set benchmarks for secondary school graduates throughout the region. New trainees began their journey into the professional world under the guidance of mentors who had gone through the same training or degree programs with Paul Köster in the past. These mentors help answer any questions the trainees may have about their respective programs. There will also be an introduction day with a tour of the plant and of the city.

“We are looking forward to working with our new skilled workers and hope to receive many new applications for the other professions here,” emphasized Hildegard Köster, recommending a look at the website www.paul-koester.com for further information about the company and the diverse training opportunities it offers.