This year, the Brüning Group is starting off with a vibrant cohort of new trainess: eight young talents began their professional training across different units in August. The variety of training occupations makes this year’s group particularly exciting – from wholesale and foreign trade management to logistics and office management, the new colleagues are active in a range of areas. This reflects the diversity of our company in the training program. And now, just two months after the start of training, one thing is already clear: this year’s class is bringing fresh energy, curiosity, and strengths into the business. “We are delighted that eight motivated new trainees have chosen the Brüning Group this year. We will accompany them on their journey, support them individually, and successfully tackle tomorrow’s challenges together,” affirms Martina Brüns, our Head of HR Management.
A VERSATILE START TO PROFESSIONAL LIFE
To ensure a successful start, we opted for a structured onboarding process – with a clear roadmap to familiarise our trainees with the company step by step. They rotate through various departments: from IT, marketing, and controlling to the operational units. Although everyone has a fixed “home unit”, they are given the opportunity to get to know the other divisions and make their first connections with different interfaces. “The first few weeks were perfectly organised. The individual introductions, training sessions, and information topics really helped to give me a better overview of the Brüning Group and its various departments right from the start,” reflects Holly Oltmann, who is training in wholesale and foreign trade in the bark unit.
In addition, it was important to us to give the young professionals guidance in their everyday work. In the business etiquette seminar, questions on dress codes, mobile phone use, and small rules for respectful interaction were discussed. Technical background knowledge was included as well: Claudia Grashoff from payroll and financial accounting explained, how a payslip is produced, for example. This resulted in the ideal mix of structure, knowledge, and practical relevance, ensuring the apprentices quickly found their feet – surprisingly quickly, as Ismat Hamo recounts: “I didn’t expect to be selling my first tours myself within the first few days. I was positively surprised that I was able to gain practical experience so quickly and wasn’t just busy with theory.” He is completing his apprenticeship in wholesale and foreign trade management in the Recycling & Waste Unit.
Another real highlight at the start was the team-building event: in an outdoor escape game, the new trainees tackled tricky tasks together and quickly realised how well collaboration works when everyone pulls in the same direction. The experience not only helped them get to know one another better but also built trust – a perfect start to growing together as a group. For Annica Finck in particular, who is training in wholesale and foreign trade management in the Pellets unit at our site in Kritzmow, it was a valuable opportunity to get to know the other trainees. “The team-building event was great fun. I was able to chat with the other apprentices and felt warmly welcomed right from the start. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, so I immediately felt comfortable within the group,” she reports. At the end of the day, everyone enjoyed a relaxed evening together over pizza.
RECRUITMENT, OPPORTUNITIES & PROSPECTS
For many, the reasons why the trainees chose the Brüning Group are obvious: the young, modern team, the appreciative atmosphere, and the opportunity to take on responsibility, and gain exciting experience right from the start. Thanks to the variety of applications and the close coordination between HR, unit management, and senior management, we have been able to recruit motivated young professionals who have long since become permanent members of the team. “Right from the start, I wasn’t seen merely as an apprentice but as a full member of the team. I immediately felt that I belonged, also because the colleagues are incredibly helpful. What struck me most positively was the working climate – it’s very pleasant and appreciative,” confirms Ismat. The first few weeks have shown that our trainees are enthusiastic about their work, and we are doing a great deal to ensure they feel at home with us, whether in day-to-day operations, when liaising with other departments, or in dedicated training sessions. This lays the foundation for a successful apprenticeship and for the future of the Brüning Group.