YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN OPPENWEILER (GERMANY)

Janis Frank completed a voluntary two-week internship with us in 2018 to get a taste of the industry. Back then, he had just completed the second semester of his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences. He later developed the “Efficiency Package” for us as part of his bachelor’s thesis. Among others, this included a controlled pump with new air routing through to the flow-optimised suction belt. Thanks to this development by Janis Frank, our customers consume less energy and thus make an important contribution to environmental protection.

In 2018, Janis Frank already knew that he wanted to do a master’s right after his bachelor’s degree. Now he is close to achieving this goal and will be writing his master’s thesis with us in the next few months. He will create a digital twin of our cutting cassette in the sheeter and optimise it based on simulations.

Sebastian König will supervise the master’s thesis and provide him with support. We wish Mr Frank great success!

Anastasios Tsatalidis has received his German recognition as an Electrician. He had already completed his Electrician Training in Greece. However, only 50% of this training was recognised in Germany. He had to attend several courses to get his training fully recognised. The courses were partly in person and partly online. Due to the coronavirus, the courses took a whole year. MBO supported him the entire time. We congratulate Mr Tsatalidis and wish him continued success at MBO.

Ben Gruber gave working in our purchasing department a try. He attends the 8th grade at the Walterich interdenominational school in Murrhardt. Since mathematics is his favourite subject and he loves a good challenge, he thinks being an industrial clerk could be a good fit for him. We hope that Ben has gained some good insights by working with us that will make choosing a career easier. Perhaps we will see him again in the next few years as an apprentice. In any case, we wish him all the best for the future!

It has been about four years since MBO launched its training initiative. The project was started because it became clear that the company can only remain viable in the long term if it brings in young colleagues and, in the best-case scenario, trains them itself. At that time, MBO “only” offered training in the two professions of industrial mechanic and electronics engineer.

As part of the training initiative, a group of trainers, human resources managers and marketing staff meet every two months to discuss current and future actions. MBO has taken a number of steps to make its dedication known to young people, parents and schools in the Rems-Murr district. For example, the company approached the interdenominational and secondary schools in the region and invited their 8th and 9th graders to visit the company. Posters and a training brochure were also printed out and distributed to schools. MBO has also participated in several career fairs. A video and several social media posts have also been created. Most recently, cooperation with Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences was started in order to offer a dual study programs – a combination of theory at the university and practice at MBO. Cooperation with the Backnang vocational school is currently in the works.

MBO now offers six training professions. The first trainees to benefit from the initiative and learn one of the new professions have already successfully completed their vocational training, namely the product designers and the industrial clerks. MBO also supports students by supervising final theses or offering jobs for working students.

Almost 100% of the trainees are hired by MBO after they successfully pass their final exams. If they pass with very good grades, they even have a chance at a two-week internship in Porto (Portugal), where the MBO manufacturing plant is located. MBO not only offers vocational training, dual study programs and jobs for working students, but also it has internships for schoolchildren (BOGY and BORS).

MBO believes it is very important that the young people network with each other and are involved in the projects in the best possible way. For example, they were commissioned to design a covered bicycle rack that can also charge e-bikes with the help of photovoltaics. After long months of planning, calculation, applications and purchasing, the much-anticipated groundbreaking ceremony will finally take place in spring.

The collaboration agreement was signed in mid-November 2021 at the company offices of MBO Postpress Solutions GmbH. Left to right: Matthias Rapp (Head of Products/Technology/Customer Center at MBO), Prof. Dr. Alexander Jesser (Academic Dean for Electrical Engineering (EE), Automation Engineering and Electro-Mechanical Engineering (AE) and Master Electrical Engineering (MEE) at Heilbronn University), Sebastian König (Head of R&D at MBO), Corinna Burgermeister (Study Models & College Marketing at the Künzelsau Campus), Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brecht (Prorector for Study and Teaching) and Berthold Zinth (Managing Director of MBO).

MBO takes the initiative and seeks dialogue with the schools in the region
Companies in almost every industry are feeling the effects of the lack of skilled workers, and MBO Postpress Solutions GmbH from Oppenweiler is no exception. So what could be more logical than to seize the initiative and go in search of well-educated young recruits?

MBO, a mid-sized mechanical engineering company, did just that and approached secondary schools in the region. In mid-November, the 8th years of the Mörike Gemeinschaftsschule Backnang and the 9th year of the Lautereck-Realschule Sulzbach visited the company as part of career preparation lessons, which are a fixed element in the timetable of the higher classes at schools. Following a tour of the company, the students had the opportunity to speak directly to the MBO trainees in a relaxed atmosphere and ask them questions.

MBO currently has 17 trainees who will qualify in one of the six professions offered: electronics engineer for operating technology (f/m/d), IT specialist (f/m/d), industrial business management assistant (f/m/d), industrial mechanic (f/m/d), technical product designer (f/m/d) and technical systems planner (f/m/d). Great value is placed on training these young people across disciplines and teaching them to network with each other. To achieve this aim, among other things, they are assigned complex project tasks which they organise, process and implement themselves.

As an incentive for gaining good marks, MBO offers trainees who successfully complete their training a two-week stay abroad, in the company’s Portuguese production facility near Porto. The company also organises regular trips, and trainees receive subsidies for travel on the VVS public transport network.

Anyone interested in training at MBO can find out more on the website or apply directly to the e-mail address bewerbung@mbo-pps.com.

Hiking and barbecuing together strengthens their sense of unity
The MBO Group employs a total of 400 people at its four locations worldwide. Five percent of them are currently in training.

Among other things, the trainees at MBO are entrusted with complex project tasks for which they work together with employees and trainees from other disciplines. This is how they get to know all areas of the company and network with each other. The regular trainee excursions, which take place twice a year, also contribute to team building. One takes the trainees to a partner company. The other excursion, which is planned by the trainees themselves, is all about having fun.

Due to the corona situation, only one excursion could take place this year, and it was smaller than in other years. The trainees organised a hike through the hills of the Rems-Murr district, where the autumn colours were on display. On the way, they took a break at the public barbecue area. The trainees had bought and driven all the necessary utensils, food and drinks to the barbecue area earlier in the day. Especially the four new trainees who started their training this year took the chance to make new contacts and get to know the trainees from the other departments during the preparations and on the actual team building day.

Anyone interested in training at MBO can find out more on the website or apply directly to the e-mail address bewerbung@mbo-pps.com.

German TV station reports on trainee project “Sustainable bike storage facility for e-bikes”
In cooperation with the District Office of the Rems-Murr-Kreis, MBO Postpress Solutions GmbH took part in the Sustainability Days of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, which took place from 17 to 20 September 2021. The event is part of the annual European Sustainability Week, the aim of which is to raise awareness of the topics climate and health.

MBO’s participation took the form of an information event on the project “Sustainable bike storage facility”. MBO trainees informed external visitors about the current status of the project. The German TV channel SWR reported on the event afterwards in the show “Landesschau”. The report can be found in the SWR media library (starting from minute 1:00):  https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/swr-aktuell-baden-wuerttemberg/swr-baden-wuerttemberg/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzE1MzM5ODk/

From initial idea to concept
MBO has offered its employees the option of leasing bikes since 2019. Until now, however, the company lacked suitable storage and charging facilities for the e-bikes. MBO set its trainees the complex task of developing a corresponding facility.

The trainee product designers developed two possible design concepts. Both concepts provide a covered, modular storage facility for six bicycles each. When designing the parking unit, the apprentices took into account various standards including stipulations such as ensuring that the bicycles are protected against being scratched and from rolling out and that standard tyre sizes can be accommodated. In addition, lockers are provided that offer sufficient space for a bicycle helmet, drinking bottle and charger. The compartments incorporate a socket for charging the bicycles. They are secured with an electric lock and equipped with ventilation slots. Three LED lights are installed on the ceiling, which are coupled to a motion detector. There are four photovoltaic modules on the roof.

This is where the apprentice MBO electronics technicians come into play. They analysed a detailed operating concept for charging the bicycles as well as for supplying power to the LED lights. Their designs were based on an assumed primary usage time of 7 am to 4 pm. The bicycle stand with the photovoltaic modules on it is optimised in terms of its orientation for the primary usage time. The built-in control optimises the operational management to ensure the ideal distribution of the available energy.

Speedy project implementation this year
The project is already in the implementation phase and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The next step is therefore in the hands of apprentices in the technical product design area. They are tasked with finalising the design based on the conceptual plans, taking into account the statics and various production processes, before the project can be handed over to the business administration apprentices for parts procurement.

At the Oppenweiler site, MBO is currently training 17 apprentices in six different professions. It is very important that young people are trained across disciplines, network with each other and learn to organise themselves independently. The company has learned a lot in recent months and is particularly proud of the work carried out by its apprentices.

For three young people, training at MBO Postpress Solutions GmbH has begun. They will be trained in one of a total of six possible professions. This means there are currently 17 women and men undergoing professional training, which is a quota of around 15 percent.

During this time, they receive in-depth and personal support from their training managers. At MBO, training partly takes the form of cross-department project work. This is not only important in ensuring the internal networking of each individual. It also gives trainees insight into areas of activity within the company which have nothing to do with the actual profession they are training for, which promotes a better understanding of the work of employees in other areas of the company. For example, trainees recently designed an environmentally friendly parking facility for e-bikes and conventional bicycles, including a charging station. The facility is scheduled for installation later this year.

In addition, MBO organises regular events for trainees in all professions and on all levels. These events include visits to partner companies or team-building exercises. Trainees can also take advantage of subsidised local public transport when travelling to the vocational training college. And it goes without saying that coffee, tea and water are provided free of charge. If they do well in their final exams, the trainees can look forward to a roughly two-week placement at the MBO Máquinas plant in Perafita, Portugal. Their stay abroad includes a free weekend, during which they can explore the nearby city of Porto.

MBO is extremely proud of its young trainees, nearly 100 percent of whom are offered permanent jobs after successfully passing their final exams. Anyone interested in professional training with MBO can submit an application with immediate effect.

MBO Postpress Solutions GmbH wishes its new trainees a good start to their professional life and every success.