Since 2018, we have been training the young professionals of tomorrow, namely in the course of the dual training to become an electronics technician (m/f/d) in energy and building technology. Now the first cohort is slowly but surely graduating - reason enough to take a closer look at how the training at FMBE works.
We met two of our apprentices, Jan and Damir, with trainer Edgar (see photo, from left) during an internal work assignment at our headquarters in Rastatt and interviewed the two apprentices about their experiences with the FMBE:
Hello you two. It's nice of you to take the time for a short interview with us. Please introduce yourselves briefly.
Jan:
I'm Jan, I'm from Pfungstadt and I'm 19 years old. I started at the FMBE in August 2018 and will probably finish my training in July because I'm shortening my training period. So far I am very satisfied! In my free time I like to go fishing and play badminton in the club.
Damir:
I'm Damir, I'll be 19 this month and I'm from Nauheim. I joined in August 2018 and will probably finish in January 2022. My hobbies are boxing, football, playing sports and meeting friends.
Why did you decide to train as an electronics technician at the FMBE?
Jan:
For me, it was because I decided after school that I wanted to learn something manual. I've been interested in electronics since primary school. That's why I looked for an apprenticeship in this field and found the FMBE.
Damir:
It was similar for me. I also wanted to do a trade, because sitting in front of a computer all day is not for me. Then I thought about what profession would be important for the future and found the profession of electronics technician on an online portal.
What is your typical working day at the FMBE like?
Damir:
I get up at 7am and am in the warehouse at 7.30am. Then I briefly check on my laptop where I'm going, meet my colleagues and load the car, and then it's usually off to the construction site. Either we are on a construction site outside, on the roof or mast, or we are on an in-house assembly.
What's more fun, outdoors or indoors?
Jan & Damir (at the same time, laughing):
Depends on the weather!
How does the training at the FMBE work?
Damir:
We have to separate school and work a little bit, because the subject of mobile radio is not dealt with as deeply at school as we do at work.
Jan:
What there is to learn here is then taught to us by our colleagues. We are out and about with them a lot and keep an eye on them. At the beginning of the training, we also spent a lot of time in our learning workshop and got to know the basics and important terms.
What do you like best about your training?
Jan:
I especially like being out and about with my colleagues.
Damir:
Exactly, I like the good working atmosphere.
Jan:
And the view of the outdoor locations when the weather is nice! You just get around a lot and see a lot of new things.
What has been your most exciting project or task so far?
Jan:
I found the Gateway Gardens project in Frankfurt quite exciting, where we walked under the platform in the shafts and laid cables there.
Damir:
Exactly, when we went through the tunnels! We even saw some rats there, that was cool. (laughs)
Jan:
It was definitely pure adventure.
Damir:
But the most exciting experience was on an in-house construction site in Karlsruhe. Customs came and checked everything first. That was exciting!
What is your goal after the training?
Damir:
To earn a lot of money (laughs), but above all to be happy in my job and to always have a good relationship with my colleagues.
Jan:
I see it the same way. I also want to continue after the apprenticeship and do a master's degree.
Perhaps you can give future applicants a few tips along the way. What does the ideal applicant need to bring with him or her to train as an electronics technician at the FMBE?
Damir:
The ideal applicant must be able to adapt well, also to the different colleagues.
Jan:
You definitely have to be interested in what you're doing and you should also be a bit hardened. On some construction sites, the tone can get a bit rough. Above all, you have to be weatherproof.
Would you recommend training at FMBE to your friends? If so, why?
Jan:
I would recommend the training at FMBE to my friends because it is completely different from many other electrical companies. Our activities are much more interesting and not so monotonous. I also see this with friends from vocational school who are always milling slots on the construction site. We simply don't have that. Besides, our working atmosphere is much better. I think that many of my friends would enjoy working at the FMBE.
Damir:
I agree. In our jobs you also need your head, you don't just have to be able to work with your hands. I like that.
Thank you both for the interview and good luck with the training!
