Tasks and activities: 

• Determine financing costs for orders and projects
• Preparing statistics, deriving and evaluating key figures
• Determine demand for products and services
• Processing tasks in the areas of personnel planning, recruitment and personnel deployment
• Process business transactions for accounting
• Compare market activities of the training company with competitors

Training content and process: 

From the first year of training onwards, you will acquire the various skills and knowledge of the individual areas of the company in stages lasting several months. In the following years of training, you will be given in-depth assignments in the functional areas before you are intensively prepared for the tasks of your future field of work in a longer station at the end of the last year of training. In addition, during the second year of training as an industrial clerk EU (m/f), you will complete a three-month internship abroad in the UK to expand your skills and language knowledge.

The apprenticeship lasts three years, takes place mainly at the Werdohl site and ends with the final examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Training as an industrial clerk (m/f) or industrial clerk EU (m/f) will provide you with a comprehensive introduction to all the commercial processes of an industrial company. You will become familiar with the interrelated processes of the various areas of an internationally operating company: Production control and planning, cost accounting, costing, financial accounting, operational accounting, purchasing, sales, shipping and human resources.
 

Tasks and activities: 

• You actively track orders and deadlines
• You maintain master data for articles as well as supplier and customer data
• You process order changes/cancellations/complaints for both customers and suppliers
• You will obtain information about goods in the product portfolio in order to acquire product knowledge and use it to advise customers
• You will get to know our internal sales structure, including target groups and sales markets

Training content and process: 

During your training as a wholesale and foreign trade clerk (m/f), you will be comprehensively introduced to all the commercial processes of our industrial company. This will familiarize you with the interrelated processes of the various divisions of our internationally active company: Procurement and logistics, sales and customer orientation, commercial management and control, controlling and accounting, human resources, merchandise and sales management as well as information and cooperation and the organization of the training company.

The foreign trade specialization focuses on foreign markets and the handling of foreign trade transactions as well as the use of foreign languages. You can expect an interesting, varied, practice-oriented and exciting apprenticeship that will give you a comprehensive insight into our company. The apprenticeship lasts three years, takes place mainly at the Frankfurt location and ends with a final examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Tasks and activities: 

• Research, development and quality assurance in the laboratory
• Participation in the optimization of manufacturing processes and products
• Analyzing and carrying out chemical and physical-chemical tests on materials
• Recording and evaluating work results
• Environmental analysis

Training content and process: 

At the beginning of the training, basic knowledge of laboratory equipment and simple chemical processes is taught. You will learn how to measure and weigh substances, calculate quantities and determine key figures and constants. The training then includes working with liquid and gaseous substances, analyses using conventional or modern methods.

In addition, the detection of elements and groups of elements in compounds is demonstrated and practiced. Computers increasingly support the analysis. The teaching content of the vocational school is supplemented and deepened in the training area. The apprenticeship lasts 3.5 years, takes place mainly at the Werdohl site, but also partly in Altena and Unna, and ends with the final examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Tasks and activities: 

• Creating and reading circuit and wiring diagrams and other technical drawings in preparation for work on various technical systems
• Performing power and function calculations using appropriate formulas, tables and manuals
• Independent planning and determination of the work steps, the materials required and the estimated processing time with the help of IT
• Assembly of the respective electromechanical, electrical and electronic components, devices, systems and installation in the operating facilities
• Testing the function of individual parts and the entire technical system after installation, commissioning and monitoring

Training content and process Trainee electronics technicians specializing in industrial engineering learn how machines and systems are supplied with energy and what to do in the event of malfunctions. They learn how modern control, regulation and drive technologies are used to manufacture high-quality industrial goods on production facilities and ensure that these complex processes run smoothly, also by programming control systems. The content taught at vocational school is supplemented and deepened in the training area. The apprenticeship lasts 3.5 years, takes place at the Werdohl, Altena or Unna sites and ends with a final examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Tasks and activities: 

• Control, monitoring and maintenance of complex machines and systems
• Setting up and operating automatic production and manufacturing systems, handling pneumatic and hydraulic circuits
• Carrying out functional tests, recording measured and operating values, testing, setting and programming computer-controlled machines and systems
• Testing and measuring the manufactured products to ensure the required production quality

Training content and sequence: 

The first year of training is largely cross-occupational for industrial mechanics, process mechanics and cutting machine operators. Skills and knowledge in materials handling and processing are taught and the basics of electrical engineering are laid. Insights into IT and the promotion of various key qualifications round off the training in the first year. From the second year of training, the program includes the manufacture and joining of machine parts as well as milling, turning and grinding. Gas fusion welding, arc welding, soldering and flame cutting are also taught.

Tasks and activities: 

• Monitoring, controlling and regulating the respective production processes and systems for non-ferrous metal production
• Handling production protocols and production schedules
• Recording and evaluating operating data and presentations for process control
• Recognizing and taking measures to eliminate disruptions in the production process
• Supervision of machines and systems during production changeovers and recommissioning
• Managing the tapping and skimming of the melt through maintenance measures for production machines and systems
• Applying quality assurance measures
• Securing, storing and transporting materials, equipment and production products

Training content and sequence: 

The first year of training is largely cross-occupational for process mechanics and industrial mechanics. It lays the foundations for metalworking and processing. This includes manual skills, working with cutting machines, insights into welding, control and regulation technology and the development of various key qualifications. From the second year onwards, training takes place on site.

Here, our specialists teach the specialist content of the process mechanic and prepare them accordingly for the examinations. The training lasts 3.5 years and takes place in the first year at the Werdohl or Siegen site. This is followed by specialist training at our plants in Unna and Siegen and ends with a final examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Tasks and activities:

• Mechanical, technological, physical and metallographic testing of metallic materials
• Preparation of damage analyses
• Quality monitoring of products (using microscopes, ultrasound and X-ray testing equipment)
• Collaboration in research and development, especially in application technology

Training content and process:

Initially, the prospective materials testers are familiarized with the basics of materials processing and machining. The focus is then on materials testing. This includes activities such as tensile tests, hardness tests, roughness measurements, rolling tests, annealing tests, producing metallographic sections and working with a microscope, photographic work and examinations using a scanning electron microscope. The basics of physical measurement are also taught. All examinations are based on a standardization, which is available in German or English. The teaching content of the vocational school is supplemented and deepened in the training area. The apprenticeship lasts 3.5 years, takes place at the Werdohl, Altena and Unna sites and ends with the final examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Tasks and activities: 

• Production of precision components made of metal and plastic by machining processes such as turning, milling or grinding using conventional or computer-aided machine tools
• Gaining knowledge of the content and handling of technical documents
• Independent tool selection as well as development and optimization of machining strategies
• Creation, input and optimization of programs for numerically controlled machine tools
• Quality control of machined components and workpieces
• Maintenance and care of machine tools

Training content and sequence: 

In the first phase, the basics of metalworking and processing are laid. This includes manual skills, insights into welding, control and regulation technology and the development of various key qualifications. In the second phase, skills such as assessing and analyzing production orders, using data sheets, descriptions, operating instructions and quality management content as well as working with conventional and numerically controlled cutting machines are increasingly promoted.

The apprenticeship lasts 3.5 years and takes place in the first year at the Werdohl site in the company's own training workshop - the VDM Metals Karriereschmiede. This is followed by specialist training at our plants in Unna and Altena, among others, and ends with a final examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
 

The combination of study and training enables the perfect combination of theory and practice. You will spend several months learning the various skills and knowledge of the different areas of an international company: Production control and planning, cost accounting, costing, financial accounting, bookkeeping, management accounting, purchasing, sales, shipping and human resources. You can expect an interesting, varied, practice-oriented and exciting apprenticeship that will give you a comprehensive insight into our company. At the end of the last year of training, you will be intensively prepared for the tasks of your future field of work with a longer station. The apprenticeship lasts 3 years, takes place mainly at our Werdohl site and ends with the final examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. At the same time, you will study the Business Law LL.B. course at the FH Südwestfalen in Hagen for 9 semesters. Lectures take place on 8 Saturdays per semester. You can find more information about the course here. 

The combination of study and training enables the perfect combination of theory and practice. You will start your 3.5-year apprenticeship with the basic course for metal at the VDM Karriereschmiede, which includes the manufacture and joining of machine parts as well as milling, turning and grinding. You will also learn gas fusion welding, arc welding, soldering and flame cutting, as well as pneumatic and hydraulic circuits. From the second year of training, you will pass through various specialist departments and learn about operational relationships, processes and production methods. During your training, you will attend vocational school once a week, and the training content will then be supplemented and deepened in the training area. You will complete your training with the company assignment or the PAL examination. The apprenticeship is offered at the Werdohl site (with rotation in other plants). At the same time, you will study the Mechanical Engineering B. Eng. course at the FH Südwestfalen in Iserlohn for 9 semesters. Lectures take place on 8 Saturdays per semester. You can find more information about the university, the requirements and the course content here. 

The combination of study and training enables the perfect combination of theory and practice. You will study the Industrial Engineering B. Sc. course at the FH Südwestfalen in Hagen for 9 semesters. Lectures take place every 14 days on Saturdays. You can find more information about the university, the requirements and the course content here. At the same time, you will complete the corresponding training with a technical or commercial focus. The technical apprenticeship includes a basic metal course, learning technical skills (e.g. milling, turning, grinding) and lessons at the vocational school, which take place once a week. In the commercial apprenticeship, you will pass through the various specialist departments and attend vocational school, which takes the form of block teaching.

Training at VDM Metals marks the start of an important new phase in your life. To give you and your family members an insight before you start your apprenticeship, we invite you to a “Look In”. Here you will get to know VDM Metals and your personal training team, find out more about our overall training package and have the opportunity to ask your trainers questions.

Our training does not start in the office or in the workshop, but with an introductory week of experiential education and an intensive introduction to the training cohort. Every year at the start of training, a five-day induction week is held with trainees from all locations, involving those responsible for training, including management, trainers, mentors and, if applicable, cooperating companies. On the first day, the trainees are welcomed by the management and given a tour of the plant before heading to the youth hostel at Lake Möhnesee. During the induction week, the trainees are given basic information about the company structure, occupational safety and the main content of their training. The integrated action-packed and experiential educational program, such as joint leisure activities, is also intended to help the trainees get to know each other, strengthen their sense of togetherness and form interdisciplinary and cross-location networks.

Our trainees are our specialists of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. That is why we invest in targeted further training opportunities that go beyond the content of the apprenticeship. Even during the apprenticeship, VDM Metals attaches great importance to support that goes beyond the training content. Every apprentice has the opportunity to take part in the seminars in the internal further training brochure. Further training courses are also offered for specific apprenticeships:

• First aid training
• Exam preparation
• Crane license
• Forklift license
   

As a special extra, VDM Metals offers its apprentices the opportunity to take part in road safety training. VDM is keen to promote the safety of its trainees beyond the actual training. In cooperation with the Iserlohn road safety authority, an annual driver safety training course is held, during which the causes of accidents are reported on and a basic concept of correct action patterns in emergency situations is taught. The day is accompanied by a chief inspector and a senior inspector from the Iserlohn police.

Which functions are important for a company? How are the various processes of a company interlinked? Our trainees answer these and similar questions as part of a business simulation game.

In cooperation with Bildungswerk NRW, we offer a business simulation game in which trainees in mixed groups (commercial and industrial/technical, from different years of training) fictitiously manage their own company and have to react to different scenarios. They learn how processes and key figures are interlinked, what economic consequences result from decisions and learn holistic entrepreneurial thinking. Of course, networking with other trainees also plays a major role here.

Even though work commitment must primarily come from our trainees themselves, we have various incentive models to provide them with additional motivation and support: For example, every trainee receives a teaching materials allowance which can be used to purchase books, for example. Trainees who achieve a particularly good result in their final examination receive a one-off cash bonus as a reward. In addition, every apprentice at VDM Metals has the opportunity to become a candidate for the incentive model on the basis of very good performance. In addition to the final examination, this also takes into account academic performance and company assessments. It also serves to obtain interesting bonuses and qualifications.

In recognition of the achievements of our apprentices, VDM Metals organizes an official graduation ceremony attended by all apprentices who have completed their training in the year in question. We also have our own youth and apprentice representatives.

As the health of our apprentices is very important to us, every apprentice at VDM Metals can take advantage of the wide range of company health management services - e.g. the various bonus booklet campaigns. In 2005, VDM Metals made the concept of “health” a very high priority in the company by concluding a general works agreement. All employees are regularly informed about company health promotion offers such as dental check-ups, skin screening, thyroid sonography or massage at the workplace.