Apprentice talk with Lina, Svenja, Silvan and Yesenia

At the beginning of February, 12 of our apprentices celebrated their successful graduation together with CHRO Nicola Lafrentz and the Vocational Training team. Among the 12 were 2 Chemical Laboratory Technicians, 3 Chemical Technicians, 5 Industrial Clerks and 2 e-Commerce Clerks. How did they feel looking back? What were the first and best days of their apprenticeships like? And what tips did they have for the apprentices of tomorrow? Chemical Laboratory Technician Lina Mengel (21 years old), e-Commerce Clerk Svenja Golchert (23), Industrial Clerk Silvan Peters (24) and Chemical Technician Yesenia David Munoz (29) answered these and other questions in our interview.

Yesenia: I would say that my expectations were very high at the time. After all, Beiersdorf is a major global company and I believed I would learn a lot here. In fact, today I can say that my expectations have been fully met. The support given to us apprentices, especially by our trainer Gaby Heid, was unique. Overall, it could hardly have gone better!

Silvan: My main concern at the time was to get to know the company workflows and processes in depth. These expectations were completely fulfilled in the 2.5 years of my apprenticeship. In addition to the technical skills, I was also able to develop some of my soft skills. So the apprenticeship has helped me in every respect.

Lina: I never thought that I would develop so much personally during my apprenticeship. We were repeatedly taken out of our comfort zone and that changed us all very noticeably and positively. I was very shy at first but gained a lot of self-confidence during the apprenticeship. Today I love making new contacts and I am very grateful to have met so many kind and supportive people.

Svenja: I particularly enjoyed the regular exchanges with my fellow apprentices. It was exciting to hear which departments they were currently in and what tasks they had – this really broadened my insight into the company. I got to know some great people during my apprenticeship and also deeply appreciated my time at the Vocational College, especially because we not only learned together but also shared lots of fun moments.

Silvan: I´m currently being trained in Supply Chain Customer Management. I´m looking forward to working independently here and being able to contribute to the company´s success.

Yesenia: I will also continue my career at Beiersdorf. However, not in the traditional way in Production as most chemical technicians do, because I´m venturing into the laboratory in the Face Care Department.

Lina: Last week I started in the Eucerin team in the Face & Hyperpigmentation Area as an R&D Junior Technician. I'm looking forward to taking on more responsibility and getting more involved in product development.

Svenja: I have just formed a job tandem in Sales – and starting March, I´ll be studying Business Psychology in parallel.

Lina: Have the courage to be open and approach others proactively. Stay curious and show your genuine personality! 

Silvan: I can only advise new apprentices to always stay open and interested. Not every task is always fun, but that´s also part of the charm of the apprenticeship. Continually try to find the positive side of everything and don't pretend to be something you´re not. If you can do this, you´ll have a really good time!

Yesenia: My tip is to combine these four key words: discipline, initiative, curiosity, and fun!

Svenja: My tip for new apprentices is to enjoy this exciting time of your training and gain as much experience as possible. Have fun doing what you do – because that´s the most important thing besides learning and gathering new experiences.

Thank you very much for this interview!