“Handtmann supports me with my development”
Raffael Schaarschmidt, Responsible for Technological Process Support at Handtmann Leichtmetallgießerei Annaberg GmbH
“I came across Handtmann in a newspaper advertisement. I’d never heard of the company before then. At the time, I was looking for a training place and so I applied to Handtmann at the last minute. The interview and the promise of training to become a cutting machine engineer came very quickly.
The training here in Annaberg is organised slightly differently from the training in Biberach. Handtmann works with an external apprentice workshop. Then there’s the theoretical training at vocational college and practical experience within the company. I learned a lot and completed my training in 2011. Handtmann took me on as a machine setter for CNC machines in production, initially on a fixed-term contract. But in the end that wasn’t enough for me and I wanted to develop myself further.
I therefore commenced training to become a technician in 2012, alongside my regular job. Handtmann supported me during this phase by no longer rostering me to work the late shift. That allowed me to attend classes in the evening and at weekends. I sat my final examinations in 2016. While undergoing training, Handtmann offered me a position that involved supporting technological processes. That was in 2015. I’m so happy to still be working for the company and for having so much trust placed in me.
My main task is to coordinate the production orders – from organising the tooling procedures, to writing work instructions, to procuring tools. I’m responsible for a team of 60 people. Of course, I had some doubts because I came here as an apprentice and almost all my employees are older than me. But most of them accepted my promotion and everyone gets on well now.
Handtmann offers its employees fair pay and lots of social benefits - from building up a long-term account through to an occupational old-age pension. The training and development programme is excellent. Having trained as a technician, I was able to start the next training right away and am now taking part in the company’s own management programme. What’s more, the work environment is very close and personal. I’d be happy to continue at Handtmann in the same vein and be able to develop myself further here in the future.”