Apprenticeship Program in Germany Generates a Sustainable Workforce

Employers, government officials, and higher education leaders alike are looking for ways for workers to acquire the expertise needed for the manufacturing jobs of tomorrow. And — one of these ways is through Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships are gaining steam in the U.S. Currently, more than 500,000 Americans are participating in apprenticeship programs offering an alternative pathway to traditional higher education. What makes apprenticeship models effective is the mix of classroom instruction with on-the-job training. That combination is invaluable in a manufacturing industry where specific skill sets are required.

In our German offices and facilities, apprentices are accepted primarily as Industrial Clerks, IT-Specialists, or in Technical positions. As apprentices, office-based Industrial Clerks and IT-Specialists rotate through a variety of commercial departments including human resources, purchasing, logistics, IT operations/production, and customer service. Whereas Technical apprentices work directly in the facilities with maintenance and production technicians to learn electrical, mechanical, and welding skills needed to perform maintenance while attending external training courses for several months.

The completion of a German apprenticeship is often not the end of a student’s career path with Mauser. For apprentices wishing to pursue university education, Mauser offers tuition reimbursement. Many apprentices graduate from university to become Mauser mentors for the next generation of apprentices. This facilitates a natural transfer of knowledge from one generation of employees to the next and is vital  to the success of Mauser.

The effectiveness of the European apprenticeship program is evident in the many participants who have continue to contribute to Mauser through long lasting successful careers. The program’s ability to organically establish a sustainable workforce makes it a natural blueprint for replication in other areas of the company.

Meet our European Apprentices 

On September 1, our German offices and facilities welcomed 17 young adults into the European Apprenticeship Program. You can learn more about our Apprentices, their goals, and chosen career paths on MauserNOW in the coming weeks.