And what have our practical trainees and degree students to say about this?

A small foretaste: Some "voices" of young students

"Here you are accepted right away by the employees and integrated into the group, no matter whether you are with engineers or mechanics. No one calls you a "greenhorn!" On the contrary, you always get help from your colleagues.

The practical training is very varied. At other companies the practical trainees are not so involved as they are here. At STILL I can even design and construct a small thing by myself, can try things and can always find helpful people who will support and assist me..“

C. Bader, degree Student Development/Trials

"A woman in production ..." - on the very first day of my practical training in the process optimisation section in mast manufacturing, I was accepted in a friendly way by my office colleagues and the foremen, and equally as well by the workers. Right from the start I was integrated into the flow of work and quickly entrusted with a variety of tasks and projects. When questions come up I can turn to my colleagues at any time, who are glad to support me in word and deed, without having the feeling that I am "only a trainee".

I particularly like being in production and thus experiencing the production process at close quarters. In this way I can see and learn a great deal and quickly come into contact with many different employees, from other departments too. This leads to a varied working day in which routine or boredom don't stand a chance.

The high level of work done on my own initiative, the closeness to production and also the positive working climate have persuaded me to write my degree dissertation here following my practical training.“

A. Kemp, Degree Student, Process Optimisation in Production