Regensburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce recognizes trainee program
Special award received – Building Bridges for Trainees
International placements for trainees strengthen intercultural skills and global collaboration
Duesseldorf, July 20, 2023. Gerresheimer, innovative system and solution provider and global partner for the pharma and biotech industry, has received a special award – Building Bridges for Trainees – from the Regensburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce as part of the HR Management Awards. Gerresheimer Medical Systems has developed a comprehensive international placement concept for its trainees within the scope of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) AusbildungWeltweit program. Gerresheimer trainees who are interested in a placement can spend six weeks at Gerresheimer’s location in Peachtree City, Georgia, where they can get to know their U.S. colleagues and the American way of life. What makes Gerresheimer placements special is that trainees receive in-depth preparation in readiness for their time abroad, with language courses, intercultural training, and virtual ice-breaker meetings with U.S. colleagues. Training courses continue seamlessly during the placement, as Gerresheimer has been offering co-op education in Peachtree City according to the German model for years.
“We are delighted to receive this award,” said Oliver Burgel, Global Executive VP Operations, Procurement, HR & Quality at Gerresheimer Medical Systems. “As a global company, collaborating in international teams is a key factor in our success, which is why we support international exchanges at Gerresheimer also for trainees.”
Extensive preparation and support
Trainees are comprehensively prepared for their international placement. Besides languages courses and international training, multiple preparatory meetings are held in which trainees can get to know their department, colleagues, and personal mentor at Gerresheimer in Peachtree City, as well as their host family. Trainees are also assisted in the visa application process and are accompanied on their trip to Georgia by Nicole Heimann, Head of the Global Training Center at Gerresheimer Medical Systems. Heimann coordinates the program and is the main contact person for everyone involved. The Gerresheimer trainee program also takes in a number of cultural highlights and gives trainees the time to pursue their own activities on the weekends.
Seamless transition
Given that the Gerresheimer location in Peachtree City trains its employees under the same co-op model used in Germany, trainees can continue their programs in a variety of professions without interruption in the United States. Individual training plans, learning target agreements, and a qualified team of training staff ensure that the trainees don’t miss a beat.
Support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Gerresheimer successfully applied for funding as part of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) AusbildungWeltweit program, which is organized by the National Agency Education for Europe at the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (NA at BIBB) on behalf of the ministry and sets high standards in terms of the quality of international traineeships. Financial assistance is provided for travel and accommodation expenses. The remaining costs are covered by Gerresheimer as a targeted investment in the intercultural skills of its young trainees. The Gerresheimer trainees program is a best-practice example of how companies can reinforce their international collaboration and build bridges between different countries. The comprehensive program and commitment has now also been recognized by the Regensburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce with the special award – Building Bridges for Trainees – as part of its HR Management Awards 2023.
Program set to be rolled out to other locations
With the program having been such a resounding success with plenty of positive feedback from participants, Gerresheimer plans to introduce it across the company with the addition of further placements at other international locations. Discussions with the location in Skopje, North Macedonia, are already underway.
