a. hartrodt sticks to training mission despite Corona
Job interviews and vocational school also work virtually.
"Time is running out, the new apprenticeship classes will start in Hamburg in August 2020 and February 2021," says Martin Argendorf, Manager Human Resources at a. hartrodt in Hamburg. That's why he has conducted 25 job interviews since the Corona lockdown – via video conference. He says that this worked well, even if the impression of personal appearance and body language is somewhat lacking. The manager finds it difficult, especially for applicants: "They get no idea of the premises and the atmosphere in the company." Nevertheless, the online recruitment rate of 20 percent shows that it works. For the new training year, 14 apprentices will start nationwide at a. hartrodt.
50 apprentice positions despite recession
Despite the recession, a. hartrodt assumes social responsibility. The family-owned company trains a total of 50 young professionals in commercial professions. This is anything but a matter of course in Corona times. Achim Dercks, Deputy General Manager at the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, warned that "it is becoming more and more difficult every day to maintain training and to offer apprenticeship places for the coming training year".
Corona time particularly difficult for new apprentices
Like almost all a. hartrodt employees, the apprentices had to work mobile from home from mid-March onwards. "The Corona period was particularly difficult for those who started their apprenticeship on February 1, 2020," says Argendorf. Often the work content at home was limited to simpler activities. Lukas Kraft missed the fact that he was no longer able to ask direct questions as he usually did in the open-plan office. At the same time, the greater complexity of airfreight handling during Corona times was certainly attractive from a technical point of view, he says. When the vocational school was closed, he learned with digital working materials. In the meantime, school operation has been restarted and final examinations have been rescheduled.
Corona also restricts popular activities. For example, the annual Germany-wide apprentices' meeting is cancelled, and possibly also the apprentices' trip in August will be cancelled. Carolin Schröder thinks it is a pity that she had to break off her internship abroad at a. hartrodt's office in Porto (Portugal) prematurely. Further planned internships abroad in summer 2020 had to be cancelled, but hopefully they can be made up for next year.
Find out more about apprenticeship at a. hartrodt here.