From an apprentice to an industry expert or senior manager

Apprentices at Pfeifer are given much more than a sound grounding in the industry that will guarantee them prospects for their entire career. This is because the company places just as much value on its apprentices’ personal development, fostering their individual talents and creating incentives for them to acquire new skills. The organisational structure is deliberately geared towards people taking responsibility and seizing the initiative. Young, talented individuals who are highly dedicated are given ample scope to forge their own path and make a career for themselves in line with the company’s objectives.

Bespoke advanced training

Apprentices are given the opportunity to take specialist modules and gain additional skills in an extended teaching phase that forms part of their actual apprenticeship. And Pfeifer also offers a tailored advanced training programme for apprenticeship graduates that is aligned with their personal strengths, their agreed objectives and targets and the company’s own requirements. The programme covers everything from traditional career milestones such as the master craftsperson’s certificate (“Meisterbrief” in Germany and “Meisterausbildung” in Austria) to qualifying as e. g. a technical business economist (“Technischer Betriebswirt” in Germany) or business administrator (“Fachwirt” in Germany) and obtaining additional practical qualifications. This actively helps the apprentices to grow as both individuals and industry specialists by giving them financial support and scope to organise their own time.

Thus there are literally no limits to career progression within the Group – from an apprentice’s very first steps to taking a job as an international manager, Pfeifer makes anything possible.

„I was given the chance to take responsibility myself“

Ilka Prahler is a qualified industrial manager in Uelzen and a trainer for office managers and works in job preparation. In a brief interview, she reflects on her own apprenticeship at Pfeifer (2017–2020) and the exciting time she had qualifying as a trainer.

WHAT DID YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOY DURING YOUR APPRENTICESHIP?

Ilka Prahler: “The best thing was the variety in the tasks I was given, which meant new challenges every single day. My colleagues were – and still are – always friendly and happy to help, which is something I greatly appreciate to this day. What I found particularly motivating was that I wasn’t just allowed to watch from the sidelines – I could get stuck in myself and take responsibility.”

WHICH DEPARTMENTS DID YOUR APPRENTICESHIP TAKE YOU TO?

Ilka Prahler: “I started off in the admin team for fuel purchasing before moving on to invoice processing, round timber admin and dispatch. I had general admin and PA duties throughout. I also had the opportunity to gain an insight into accounting at another company in the same district as us.”

WHEN DID YOU QUALIFY AS A TRAINER?

Ilka Prahler: “I got my certificate, known as an ‘AdA-Schein’, in December 2021 after completing a preparatory course the month before.”

HOW MANY APPRENTICES ARE YOU LOOKING AFTER AT THE MOMENT, AND HOW MANY HAVE PASSED THROUGH YOUR HANDS SO FAR?

Ilka Prahler: “I’ve currently got two apprentice office managers, one in her first and the other in her third year. Including those two, I’ve looked after five apprentices to date.”

WHAT’S THE BEST BIT ABOUT BEING A TRAINER?

Ilka Prahler: “I enjoy accompanying my apprentices on their journey, being a part of their development and both encouraging and challenging them as individuals. I get motivation from seeing how they get more self-confident and assured as time goes on. And I’m constantly learning too in my role as trainer – each new intake brings fresh ideas with them.”