Apprentices

As of the reporting date of March 31, 2018, 1,301 apprentices were being trained in around 50 skilled trades, the majority (59.5%) at locations in Austria. 21.6% were being trained in Germany under the dual system. As a result of their demand-oriented training, almost 100% of the young workers who have successfully completed their apprenticeship are hired as permanent employees.

voestalpine regards it as a clear duty to invest in training highly-qualified young workers. In addition to excellent specialist training, stress is also laid on developing personal and social competences. The Group currently invests over EUR 70,000 in training each apprentice.

Top places in competitions

The 40 voestalpine companies which currently train apprentices are extremely proud of their trainees who regularly win local, national, and even international prizes.

For example, two apprentices from voestalpine Krems GmbH won the first and third place in the industrial category in the apprentice competition run by Lower Austria’s Economic Chamber.

Gold and silver went to two voestalpine apprentices in the Metal Engineering Division who demonstrated outstanding performances in the Styrian state apprenticeship competition for metals technology. The two prize winners are apprentices with voestalpine Weichensysteme GmbH in Zeltweg, and voestalpine Böhler Welding Austria GmbH in Kapfenberg.

Five youngsters from voestalpine Automotive Components Schwäbisch Gmünd GmbH & Co. KG were selected as the best apprentices in Ostwürttemberg, collecting prizes for their efforts in November 2017. The 50 skilled trades taught at voestalpine cover everything from chemical laboratory technician and metal technician to careers in gastronomy. Here again, an apprentice at Caseli, the voestalpine catering company in Linz, impressed the judges to win first place in a 2017 state apprenticeship competition in Upper Austria.

voestalpine apprentices are also successful internationally. The WorldSkills professional championships in Abu Dhabi may not have brought places on the podium, but it did result in a medallion for excellence. Over 1,200 participants from all over the world fought to win the title in 51 different career categories. The voestalpine team was chosen after preselections at national level, and consisted of three young skilled workers from voestalpine Stahl GmbH in Linz, and a trainee at voestalpine Automotive Components Bunschoten B.V. in the Netherlands.

The voestalpine training centers also won prizes: in October 2017 Böhler Edelstahl in Kapfenberg, Austria, was awarded the national prize for the best apprentice training organization, and was acclaimed for its pioneering training concept. The jury were impressed by projects such as the digital training factory which is already preparing voestalpine apprentices for future workplace digitalization.