APPRENTICESHIPS THAT OFFER PLENTY OF VARIETY

My name is Patrick Wölfer. I come from Weingarten and work as an IT systems integrator at CHG-MERIDIAN. As well as being interested in IT and all its many possibilities, I like playing tennis and enjoy spending time with my friends and family.

EVEN AT SCHOOL I PLAYED THE ROLE OF THE TECHNICIAN
Ever since my parents bought their first computer, I have been spellbound by technology. I’ve always tried to keep up with the rapid pace of change and this has enabled me to continually expand my knowledge. My family and friends noticed my talent early on and so I was called on for advice in all sorts of problems. It quickly became clear to me that this was what I wanted to do as a career. Then came the question of what options were open to me after school. After doing a little research I came across the role of IT systems integrator, which seemed a perfect match for my interests. So I decided to find out more about the role and to find a company that offered it. As CHG-MERIDIAN is a partner of my school in Weingarten, I applied for an internship there. Thankfully I succeeded and got the introduction to the work that I was looking for. The administration of the many different IT systems is really interesting for me and was the key factor in my decision to apply – successfully – for an apprenticeship as an IT specialist.

MY DAY-TO-DAY WORK AT CHG-MERIDIAN
As an apprentice at CHG-MERIDIAN you are never bored. You don’t just get an introduction to your own area, in my case IT, but you spend time in all departments. This gives you a better understanding of CHG-MERIDIAN’s internal processes, which can be helpful with IT-related problems. In total, IT apprentices spend an average of three months working in different departments. I spend around three weeks in each department, for example Communications & Marketing and the company’s Global People Development department, getting to know it better. You are integrated into the department and gain specialist knowledge. Of course, I spend most of my time in the IT department. Every apprentice there is given their own work to do and gets involved in a wide range of exciting projects. For example, I am learning about the server farm and feel I can make an active contribution to everything that the department does. And because we manage the company’s entire infrastructure, assignments at our global sites are not unusual.

LEARNING THE THEORY AT THE VOCATIONAL COLLEGE
As the apprenticeship follows the dual vocational model, it also involves classroom tuition. I attend the School of Electronics in Tettnang once or twice a week on an alternating schedule. Here I am taught general subjects such as German, English, social studies, business, and economics. These are supplemented by IT-relevant subjects like Software Application Development and Information Technology Systems, where you get to build complex systems and program your own applications in Java. In addition to the theory, there is an annual project where you put what you have learnt into practice.

FUN AND A FAMILY ATMOSPHERE
Of course, working together with your colleagues on a daily basis is an important part of the role. Even though more than 350 people work at the head office in Weingarten there is a real family atmosphere. This is helped by various activities such as departmental excursions and outings for apprentices. Other events, such as the CHG Soccer Cup, help to boost team spirit and cohesion. All in all, it is laying the foundation for a successful career at CHG-MERIDIAN.