Welcome on board

An exciting first day began on September 1, 2020 for 15 trainees and dual-study students: the induction week at Rutronik. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, face coverings had to be worn by everyone throughout the week. Since Rutronik and, therefore, also our trainers were well prepared, the tables in the seminar room had been arranged 1.5 meters apart, meaning face masks were not required when sitting down.

After a brief welcoming talk by our trainers, Sarah Sievers and Holger Hary, we introduced ourselves to each other. We were given the task of interviewing another trainee or student and then presenting them to the whole group. Once the introductions had been completed and we knew each other's first names, things continued with a few formalities. Meanwhile, a photographer was already busy taking pictures of us as part of a photo session. This was followed by a presentation from the training program managers, which provided us with an initial overview of what to expect during our various courses at Rutronik. After lunch, we received our training schedules. To round off the day perfectly, Rainer Hügin offered an exciting insight into the basics of electrical engineering and Rutronik's product divisions.

The next day, we were joined by Noelle Kugel, who is due to complete her dual study course next month. After a 50-minute drive, we arrived in Bad Herrenalb, where team building was on the agenda. Once inside the seminar room, we started looking at the topics of communication and "learning to learn". This included both a passive and an active element where we worked on and presented tasks in various groups to complement the theory put forward by our trainers. After lunch, Noelle Kugel presented the Rutronik e-Academy. The afternoon session focused on team building. We were initially shown how a team grows together and how this actually works. We then had the opportunity to experience this for ourselves by working in groups on the development of, for example, a paper bridge or a strategy game. Following these practical exercises, and experiencing team building first hand, we were able to grasp the theoretical aspects much better within our respective groups. The evening was spent barbecuing with our trainers and chatting and enjoying each other's company.

The following morning commenced with some do's and don'ts of business in an interactive context. We learned how to behave in the world of work and discussed the rules of etiquette required. Further, we were given the task to prepare a phone conversation in teams of two, thus preparing us for receiving and making phone calls at Rutronik in the future. Now it was time for another team building session in which the trainees and dual-study students had to come up with an idea to help a raw egg withstand a fall from a height of 7 meters. After the nerve-racking games and lunch, we set off on a riverbed hike in Raumünzach, a highlight of the week for many of us. "Abseiling" down from a bridge to reach the riverbed was definitely a challenge for some, and the trainers were no exception. After completing the one-hour hike and getting some wet feet in the process, we set off for Ispringen. This signaled the end of the penultimate day of the induction week and everyone was excited to know what the next day (and thus the final day of the week) would bring.

Friday morning started back in Ispringen at 8 am and for the next two hours we were given an insight into Rutronik's history, philosophy, and business model by Andreas Mangler. This was followed by an IT security training session hosted by Alexander Geyer. In summary, the morning involved taking in a lot of new information, getting answers to questions, and also being offered help for every aspect of our vocational training. Lunch was followed by another active session with Noelle Kugel, Sarah Sievers, and Holger Hary in the form of a corporate strategy game. We were allowed to design our own company, structure, and product. This resulted in four different companies with little helpers for all situations. The last day of the induction week came to a close with a quiz, during which all the questions were answered correctly by the new Rutronik employees. We said goodbye to our new colleagues and to four challenging, highly informative, active, and fun-packed days at Rutronik.