Nordhausen – Behind the large blue letters high up on the skyscraper on the outskirts of the city lies one of the oldest and most traditional companies in the city of Nordhausen. With almost 1,000 employees, the largest industrial company in Nordhausen – Schachtbau - is based at Industrieweg. With currently 96 trainees Schachtbau is also one of the largest training companies in the region.

However, in times of short-time work, closed vocational training schools and canceled training contracts, the uncertainty of prospective trainees is growing. Will there still be enough apprenticeship training positions in my desired profession? Is my favorite company offering vocational training at all this year? And can I finish my already started training as planned? Questions like these occupy many school leavers, but also many young people who are already in a training relationship.

For many years Schachtbau has been offering high-quality vocational training in the metal and electrical, mining, construction and commercial sectors and has always maintained a high level of new recruitment, even in the current global crisis. About 30 trainees become part of the SCHACHTBAU family every year and they benefit from the good training structures with full-time trainers and practical supervisors in the individual areas. This also applies to the 35 trainees who started their training at Schachtbau on August 26, 2020 and among the individual recognized occupations requiring formal training, they are distributed as follows:

• 12 construction mechanics,
• 2 skilled persons for metal technology,
• 3 cutting machine operators,
• 4 electronic technicians for administration and maintenance,
• 5 mining technologists,
• 4 operators of construction equipment,
• 1 concrete and shotcrete worker,
• 3 carpenters as well as
• 1 industrial management assistant.

Throughout the entire training period, the aim is to ensure a close connection to practice, as the training takes place in the training workshop on the one hand, while on the other hand practical assignments in the workshops and on construction sites of the SCHACHTBAU Group and the BAUER Group form an integral part of the training.

The cooperation of the experienced teachers as well as numerous other measures led to the constant optimization and improvement of the training image in addition to a company collective agreement. The trainees at SCHACHTBAU speak for themselves and proudly present their positive image to the outside world, because at the end of their training period they are regularly among the best of their year and often achieve remarkable results. This commitment and the skills they have learned are also clearly demonstrated by their participation in various regional and national competitions, such as "Jugend schweißt".

After a successful vocational training, there are always realistic chances of remaining in the company and finding both professional and personal perspectives within the SCHACHTBAU or BAUER Group. In 2020, the take-over rate for skilled workers who have completed their training was over 75%.

Even during the Corona Pandemic and despite its effects on the training market, Schachtbau will continue to provide initial vocational training with continuity and foresight and it will be a strategic instrument for securing its workforce in the long term. Against this background, the company has already received several awards from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce as an "outstanding training company".