At the start of the new training year, Dillinger and Saarstahl, two leading companies in the steel industry, welcomed 150 new trainees to their ranks.
The young trainees will play a decisive role in the transformation of steel production in Saarland. Their training will therefore focus in particular on handling new technologies such as the electric arc furnace and the direct reduction plant. This also includes qualification as industrial specialists for hydrogen.
In addition to technical training, a major focus is placed on digitalisation. Apprentices are trained in the area of Industry 4.0, including programming, IT security and additive manufacturing.
Long-term prospects: Training as a social responsibility
On the first day, the trainees were welcomed to the Saarstahl training workshop in Völklingen by the ‘Hüttenfamilie’. For the rest of the week, they take part in the ‘familiarisation days’, which are designed to promote team spirit and cooperation.
Joerg Disteldorf, Labour Director and Chief Human Resources Officer at both companies, emphasised the importance of this new generation for the future development of the industry. “We are proud that the young people who are starting their careers here today want to work with us to shape the transformation of our companies,” explained Disteldorf. “They are now part of the PureSteel + family, which will be tackling a historic task. They will be optimally prepared for this during their training.”
Cornelis Wendler, Head of Training and HR Development, sees the training as an important social responsibility and an opportunity for the trainees to achieve their professional goals: “We want to offer the trainees a solid basis for their professional development so that they can realise their goals and dreams and are well positioned for their personal future,” says Wendler.
Professional diversity in the steel industry
Trainees at Saarstahl and Dillinger choose from 18 different technical, industrial and commercial professions. This year, 61 trainees at Saarstahl have chosen the technical path and 8 the commercial path. At Dillinger, there are 77 in the technical/industrial area and 4 in the commercial area. In addition, 33 young people from other companies are taking part in a joint training programme.
Dillinger and Saarstahl are part of SHS - Stahl-Holding-Saar and are known for their high-quality steel products and their contribution to global challenges such as climate protection and energy efficiency.
