Generation change in industrial training management

Apprenticeships are a top priority at Kuhn Special Steel. This is reflected in the high proportion of trainees, the long-standing cooperation with various vocational schools and the company’s own training center, where trainees from other companies can also complete their basic training.

This year will see a change: Andreas Döbler will retire after many years as training manager for industrial and technical trainees. Andreas Döbler planned and built up the training center as it is today. For example, the training was digitized, a learning platform was integrated into the training and cooperation with neighboring schools was expanded and consolidated. He will continue to offer his experience to schools and companies as a freelance consultant and work as an examiner for the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

The generational change comes as no surprise and a smooth transition has been prepared for the long term.

Grischa Hopmeier joined the Kuhn Special Steel training team last year and is very familiar with all the processes. This means he can seamlessly continue tried-and-tested activities such as the traditional cross-departmental team event or the regular workshops, but also contribute new ideas. From August 2024, he will accompany the start of our trainees’ careers in his role as training manager for industrial trainees.
After leaving school, Grischa Hopmeier completed an apprenticeship as a cutting machine operator and later went on to study technical business administration while working. As he had always enjoyed working with trainees, it was only a matter of time before he consistently followed this path and became the technical training manager at his former training company.

Grischa Hopmeier came to Kuhn Special Steel in search of new challenges. The structure of the training program here matched his expectations. He wanted a close relationship with the trainees, not only to impart technical content, but also to help them develop independence from their initial uncertainty. He also found a modern teaching system at Kuhn Special Steel. This eases his daily workload and creates space for new projects. For example, joint sporting activities and the realization of a complete small assembly group are planned for the first year of the apprenticeship. The fully equipped training center offers many opportunities for practical instruction and practice.

Grischa Hopmeier would also like to continue offering support lessons. In doing so, he also benefits from his part-time work as a lecturer at the “Bildungsfabrik”. He draws inspiration for training at Kuhn Special Steel from the lessons he teaches the prospective industrial foremen and keeps his finger on the pulse of current developments and curricula. This year, he was awarded “Trainer of the Year” for his performance.

We are delighted to have gained such a competent and committed employee for the management of our industrial training and wish Grischa Hopmeier every success in his new role!

We would like to thank Andreas Döbler for his many years of successful commitment to our apprenticeship work. We wish him much joy and success in his future work and are sure that his “legacy” is in good hands.