Apprentices on Tour: China
Apprentices of the DRÄXLMAIER Group can participate in the “Training worldwide” program. This gives them the opportunity to spend eight weeks at a company location outside the EU and get to know the work, the people and the local culture at first hand. Frank, prospective technical product designer, Karolin, prospective IT specialist, and Moritz, prospective mechatronics technician, took advantage of this opportunity and report on their experiences in Shenyang, China.
How was the start of your trip abroad?
Karolin: The planning started long before the actual trip. We had to book flights, apply for visas and get the necessary vaccinations. The preparations took quite a while, but the training helped us so that the trip could start without any problems.
Frank: On my first day at the company, I received a warm welcome and was introduced to my new workplace. The colleagues on site were very friendly and happy to welcome us and help us with our work.
How was the work on site for you?
Karolin: In Shenyang, I worked in the IT team and had the opportunity to get to know many other departments. My tasks included processing service requests and working in IT project management. In China, the working day starts later and doesn't end until the evening, which meant that I also worked until 6 p.m. on Fridays. That was a real challenge for me at first.
Moritz: At the DRÄXLMAIER plant in Shenyang, I mainly worked with welding systems that assemble plastic door panels, center consoles and dashboards using various welding processes. Before my stay there, I didn't know that plastic could be welded. I also had the opportunity to get to know every process at the Shenyang plant and discover many new product types and production methods.
Frank: Right from the start, I was provided with sufficient and technically suitable tasks, similar to those I already had in Germany. On some days, we also had the opportunity to visit other sites in the area. This was always very interesting and varied, as many production technologies were explained to us and we were able to absorb a lot of new specialist knowledge. We also often had the opportunity to get in touch with the trainees on site.
What challenges did you face?
Karolin: The traffic was a real challenge at first. There are always a lot of people on the road and you have to constantly watch where you're going. As I live in a small town in Germany, it was very unusual for me.
Moritz: The biggest challenge in China was communicating with the locals, as hardly anyone speaks a foreign language. So it was often difficult to communicate in English. Another difficulty was that you can't pay in China the way you are used to in Germany and other countries. You need an extra app to pay, but it only works fully with a Chinese phone number. Without a Chinese bank account, it was sometimes not possible to pay at all.
What did you do in your free time?
Moritz: In my free time, we were often out and about and explored the cities of Shenyang, Benxi, Anshan, Dandong, Shanhaiguan and Qinhuangdao. My highlights were visiting a huge stalactite cave and the Great Wall of China. The Chinese food was simply brilliant and cannot be compared to what you get in restaurants in Germany. Thanks to a colleague, I was also able to play in a soccer team during my stay. As a result, I got to know a lot of new people and gained a good insight into Chinese culture.
Karolin: We often did things with our Chinese fellow trainees. I particularly liked the city of Benxi, as it was very different from Shenyang or Beijing. Benxi is more rural and has lots of mountains and rivers. During our stay in Benxi, we went to a karaoke bar in the evening with a colleague, which was one of the best experiences I had here. We also had the opportunity to take part in a traditional Chinese celebration, which was very exciting.
Frank: In our free time, we explored new cities and sights. For example, we visited the point on the Great Wall of China where it touches the sea and the city of Dandong, which is right on the North Korean border. The visit to a former imperial city was also very impressive.
Your conclusion?
Moritz: The trip was definitely worth it! My expectations of the country were far exceeded. I can only recommend anyone to take the opportunity to spend time abroad.
Karolin: I have very positive memories of the people here in China. I am very grateful to have had this experience. So, if you have the opportunity, go abroad!
Frank: For me, this stay abroad was a great success, as I was able to get to know many new technologies and improve my English skills. The experience here has made me more open-minded and independent.
