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Krefeld / Neuss / Mönchengladbach / Schwalmtal / Viersen / Kerken. It should be their day – they worked for it for months, learned and certainly accepted one or the other privation. But the annual big celebration of the North Rhine-Westphalian Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) in honor of the best trainees had to be canceled due to the current development of the corona pandemic. This year’s state award for North Rhine-Westphalia would have been hosted by the IHK Mittlerer Niederrhein. “It was very difficult for us to cancel this event – but of course health protection comes first,” says IHK General Manager Jürgen Steinmetz.
217 young women and men from 16 IHK districts and from more than 200 training companies and vocational colleges from all over North Rhine-Westphalia completed their final exams with “very good” – they all achieved at least 92 out of 100 points.
Patrick Groborz is one of them. The 22-year-old completed an apprenticeship as a chemical production specialist at Currenta GmbH & Co. OHG in Krefeld – with the very best grades. When asked about his “recipe for success”, he replies: “In the theoretical test, it was not only good preparation but also a little luck. And I remained very calm during the practical test, which helped me avoid careless mistakes. Fortunately, learning is not difficult for me, but preparation and interest are of course part of it. ”Patrick Groborz would like to thank his trainer for the good preparation – but also his family and his girlfriend“ for their consideration and support ”. Since the examination to become a production specialist was only part of his training, he is currently still an apprentice at Currenta and is learning to be a chemical technician and a state-certified power planter. Whether exams will take place as planned due to the corona pandemic and whether canceled classes and missed operating hours will have negative effects, these questions continue to unsettle the 22-year-old. Even if he understands the cancellation of the big celebration in view of the increasing number of infections, he was a little disappointed. “The greatest reward after an exam is to be invited to a celebration by the IHK. If the number of cases allows, I will celebrate in a small group. “
Michel Bongartz is also there. The 22-year-old from Schwalmtaler completed his training as a machine and system operator at SAB Bröckskes in Viersen – with top marks. When asked about his “recipe for success”, he replies: “I always walked through the company with my eyes open and tried to question everything I didn’t understand – but of course you should also have a basic level of self-motivation and commitment.” To the exams he prepared very carefully. “I’ve already invested a lot of time, usually sitting down and practicing after work as well – four months before the exam date. Of course, some topics are more important to you than others. ”Michel Bongartz always found support from his trainers, whom he would also like to expressly thank – as well as his training company. “A successful exam would not have been possible without the ‘good chemistry’ among us apprentices – so: Thank you guys.” The uncertainty was great for all of them because nobody knew exactly whether all exams would take place due to the corona pandemic could. In addition, the vocational school was temporarily closed – and there were also stricter safety rules in the company. “Even if we got through well in the end, everyone would have preferred preparation without a pandemic,” says the machine and system operator, who continues to work in his training company. In the coming year he would like to begin further training as a technician for plastics and rubber technology. He understands that the big ceremony to honor the best had to be canceled. “But you are still a little disappointed – you probably only experience something like this once in your life.”
Laura Kimmel was also honored. The 21-year-old Schwalmtaler completed an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at SMS group GmbH in Mönchengladbach – with the very best grades. When asked about her “recipe for success”, she replies: “I noticed that training as an industrial clerk was exactly the right career decision for me. For this reason, the topics and content appealed to me very much, and my ambition was aroused. In addition, my apprenticeship company, SMS group, encouraged and supported me very strongly. ”The young woman would like to thank not only her apprenticeship company, her trainer and her factory teaching teacher, but also her parents, who helped her a lot with her career choice. Laura Kimmel completed her last training station in the area of controlling. “I also deserve my thanks to my training officer there, because he was instrumental in my professional career.” After all, the 21-year-old now works in the controlling department of SMS group GmbH – and is still studying part-time. Since her final oral exam already took place in January, the corona pandemic at least did not affect her exams. Nevertheless, she is very disappointed that the best honor had to be canceled. “I was really looking forward to the celebration.”
Julia an de Meulen is also one of the excellent trainees. The 21-year-old from Kerken completed an apprenticeship as a clerk for forwarding and logistics services at Dachser SE Air & Sea Logistics in Neuss – with the very best grades. Her “recipe for success” for this great achievement: “My interest in logistics and ambition in the learning phase.” From school to high school, she was rather “lazy”, “but that changed fundamentally when I started training – I did I did something that really interests me – and that made my learning much easier. ”The young woman would like to thank her training manager. “It made my apprenticeship possible, and through it I learned a tremendous amount about logistics, but also about life. I would also like to thank my mother, who always believed in me and motivated me. ”The 21-year-old continues to work in the company after completing her training, now in the air freight export department at Dachser SE in Düsseldorf. “Fortunately, I was able to complete my education before the pandemic turned our lives upside down. I would have been very happy about the ceremony to honor the best and would have gladly accepted the award in person, but of course I can understand the rejection due to Corona. I hope that it will look different again for the trainees next year, ”says Julia an de Meulen.
The other best of the state from the Middle Lower Rhine region are:
Julius Berten and Nicolas Fells (both Scheidt & Bachmann GmbH, Mönchengladbach), Michel Bongartz (SAB Bröckskes, Viersen), Martin Gerresheim (Covestro Germany, Krefeld), Vanessa Hanisch (vocational training center Mönchengladbach), Daniel Kuhlicke (training initiative Rheinland GmbH, Dormagen), Dominik Müller (Lumino Licht Elektronik GmbH, Krefeld) and Valerie Stanikowski (State Office for Road Construction NRW, Krefeld).
The Federal Minister for Education and Research, Anja Karliczek, who was supposed to take part in the honors at the originally planned big celebration in the stadium of the Champions League participant Borussia Mönchengladbach, congratulates the best apprentices from North Rhine-Westphalia: “I warmly congratulate you all on your outstanding ones Services! Each and every one of you contributes to the strength of our vocational training system. With your degree you have excellent career prospects. With the amendment to the Vocational Training Act and the modernization of the Aufstiegs-BAföG, the Federal Ministry of Education also gives you attractive opportunities for advancement. “
IHK General Manager Steinmetz emphasizes the difficult conditions for trainees and all partners of the dual training this year. “Despite the omnipresent corona pandemic and the difficulties associated with it, these excellent trainees, together with all those involved, managed to achieve such outstanding performance.” The President of the IHK Mittlerer Niederrhein, Elmar te Neues, also combines his congratulations with the wish that ” the excellent trainees use their talents to build on their outstanding performance through further training and to shape their further career path ”.
Regional best honor of the IHK Mittlerer Niederrhein
The annual regional best honor for apprentices, training companies, vocational colleges and advanced training graduates in the Middle Lower Rhine also had to be canceled due to Corona. This year 240 trainees passed their exams at the IHK Mittlerer Niederrhein (Krefeld, Mönchengladbach, Rhein-Kreis Neuss and Kreis Viersen) with the grade “very good”. 166 training companies as well as 271 graduates of the advanced training exams are among those honored. “That is a great achievement and shows that the effort is worth it,” said Steinmetz. And te Neues adds: “The companies have recognized that there is only one solution to the shortage of skilled workers: training! They have to bring schoolchildren into the company at an early stage and present themselves as an attractive employer. ”It is important to use all the potential of young people and not just pay attention to school grades.
However, if you want to advance professionally, you should continue learning after completing your training – as this year’s 271 graduates of higher vocational training did. The IHK president also finds words of praise for the best training companies.
In the area of commercial training in retail, Aldi SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft has the most successful trainees with Christina Weber, saleswoman. Another special prize – this time in the area of commercial training – goes to SMS Group GmbH Mönchengladbach with trainee Laura Kimmel, industrial clerk.
The special prize in the field of industrial and technical training goes to Scheidt & Bachmann GmbH, Mönchengladbach, with its trainee Julis Berten, electronics technician for devices and systems in the field of information and communication technology devices. The special prize for the best initial training company is awarded to the ODLO Store GmbH from Brüggen with its trainee Isabell Borgs, a retail clerk.
In addition, the four best vocational colleges have been determined: the Volksgartenstrasse vocational college for business and administration (special price for commercial training), the Krefeld commercial school (special price for commercial training in retail), the Rheydt-Mülfort vocational college for technology (special price for commercial-technical training) and the Nettetal vocational college as a sub-location of the Rhein Maas vocational college (special price for initial training).
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