Internships abroad – finally worldwide again
In 2022, a. hartrodt sent four apprentices to Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Switzerland.
For the first time since the pandemic, this summer a. hartrodt Germany was again able to offer internships abroad outside Europe. In 2022, four apprentices from Hamburg gained experience in offices of the family-owned company in Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Switzerland. Although many of a. hartrodt's junior staff have already experienced something of the world before during a school year abroad or an au pair stay. "But the day-to-day work is completely different, and you get to see a much broader picture," says Martin Argendorf, who is responsible for training at a. hartrodt in Hamburg.
Nearly 40 internships abroad in twelve years
Martin Argendorf recommends an internship abroad "at the end of the second year of apprenticeship". By then, young people would have sufficient expertise to find their way around an international location. For twelve years, the trainer has enabled nearly 40 internships. After the Covid break in 2020, there were four placements in Europe in 2021. "Next year, we would like to send six apprentices abroad again, as we did in 2019," he states the goal.
Sales, "freight forwarding from A to Z ", international career
Dennis Dippel (24) accompanied sales colleagues in Mexico City on customer visits for two months. Since then, he has mastered the "pampering program": "In Latin America, a close relationship is particularly common, and inviting someone to your grandmother's, daughter's or uncle's birthday party is nothing unusual." Umut Boz (28) learned "freight forwarding from A to Z" during his internship in Basel: "At airfreight import/export, I was able to see how prices develop and to experience the transport chain firsthand." In Kuala Lumpur, Emely Ruf (21) asked the national sales manager, who comes from Germany, about pursuing an international career at a. hartrodt: "That encouraged me to consider a higher position abroad myself later on."
An internship abroad at a. hartrodt not only improves expertise and language skills – apprentices find cultural differences exciting. This ranges from the "Znueni", the second breakfast in Switzerland, to the bonus for employees who come to work on time in Mexico.