Bechtle: 143 trainees start their careers.

Record training year at Bechtle
Bechtle direct has 13% trainee ratio
Team event kicks off training

Neckarsulm, 7 September 2011 – 143 young trainees are starting their careers at Bechtle this year, more than ever before. Last year, 87 graduates started professional training at Bechtle. Some 400 trainees are currently receiving vocational education and experience in some 14 commercial and technical careers at the IT services and retail corporation. In the past five years, the number of trainees has doubled. “We see vocational training as an important investment in the future. By training our own IT specialists, we can, to a certain extent, counteract the shortage of skilled employees. The demand for qualified employees is high. This is another reason why we offer virtually one-hundred per cent of our trainees a position at Bechtle,” says Sonja Glaser-Reuss, head of human resources at Bechtle AG. “Incidentally, over 30 per cent of our training positions are held by women. That puts us way ahead of the industry average of nine per cent.” Training as an IT specialist is in the highest demand this year, followed by business training in wholesale and foreign trade, and IT systems management. Among the co-operative education students who combine classroom education with on-the-job training, trade and business information systems were the most popular subjects.

Bechtle direct has 13% trainee ratio.

13 young professionals are starting their training at the e-commerce specialist Bechtle direct this year, giving the Bechtle subsidiary an impressive trainee ratio of 13%. This means that Bechtle direct has already exceeded the goal Bechtle AG set for itself as a corporation–that is, increasing the trainee ratio, which was then 7%, to 12% in 2012. “We offer young people a vocational training programme that teaches them to take pleasure in their work,” says Mario Düll, managing director of Bechtle direct GmbH. In his opinion, the opportunities Bechtle provides for personal and professional development make the company especially attractive for young people.

Our model: mentoring and trust.

Three years of theory and intensive practical training now lie ahead of the junior staff, though many choose to shorten their training period to two-and-a-half years. Applied learning is especially important to Bechtle. Every trainee is guided through this process by a mentor, who can answer questions and provide advice. The entrants take responsibility for their actions early on. “We observe time and again that it’s precisely our younger colleagues who appreciate our trust and respond with a great deal of dedication and an excellent performance. Assigning them tasks for which they are personally responsible is the very thing that motivates them,” Evamarie Hesse, human resources manager at Bechtle, emphasises.

Team event helps trainees get started.

All trainees take part on what is known as the MIKADO, a programme which eases them into the company professional life. During the two-day orientation, young professionals from all over Germany get to known Bechtle, particularly the company headquarters and its service units. “The orientation is very popular among trainees because it offers a good opportunity for interaction with colleagues from other locations. The connections made here often last beyond the training period,” says Evamarie Hesse. The Bechtle Academy has been organising this event for over five years now. This year, there was a special group outing to the Wiesloch ropes course, where the trainees demonstrated teamwork, courage and trust–and had a great time.

Applications for 2012 welcome.

Just after the start of this year of training, Bechtle is already accepting applications for 2012. Candidates who are interested in starting at Bechtle in the coming year can apply immediately. Details are available at www.bechtle.com/ausbildung (in German). We’re especially interested in applicants who are interested in training as IT specialists, in the fields of wholesale/foreign trade and IT systems management, and those working towards a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science.

The new trainees in front of Bechtle headquarters.

Bechtle trainees at the ropes course.