It’s not just good skilled workers, but also promising trainees that are in demand like never before. Especially as Franke has to compete with large companies in the region when it comes to recruiting young talent. This is why the Franke Technicum and the Franke NEXT trainee programme offer young people attractive opportunities to learn industrial and business occupations with a future.
When Franke expanded Plant 2 in 2012, it not only created more space for the production of CT bearings, but also created space for an all-new facility – the Franke Technicum. The Latin term is in reference to the Romans, whose famous Limes once ran past Aalen. The Franke Technicum is designed to combine development and training under one roof.
The 600 square metres Technicum was officially opened in 2018. It features CAD workstations for production development, an equipment workshop and the Franke laboratory. There is also the office of the company training manager, as well as workbenches and CNC processing machines where trainees learn their “trade” from the ground up. Having all these areas covered side by side in one place is a deliberate choice, because it creates synergies and offers young talents not only interesting practical insights, but also attractive, future-orientated training.
Another innovation from 2016 also serves this goal: The Franke NEXT programme for young talent. Acting as a “company within the company”, commercial and industrial trainees are given the opportunity to realise projects across all professions under realistic conditions – from order acceptance through to the finished product. Upon completion of the Technicum, Franke NEXT already processed almost 300 orders in 2019, primarily for production development and fixture construction.
The trainee programme not only enables a comprehensive exchange of experience, but also introduces the young people to Franke’s corporate culture.
Franke NEXT also incorporates informational visits to other companies’ young talent programmes. In return, their trainees are invited to visit the Franke Technicum. Franke NEXT is also regularly present at training fairs and information events in kindergartens and schools, not least to create interest in technical training courses. The “Girls’ Days”, which are held regularly at the Franke Technicum, also serve this purpose. Future Days, trainee breakfasts and team events outside the company are also permanent fixtures on the calendar. //
The training is integrated into the production process and does the groundwork for the departments. This way, the trainees develop an understanding of the interrelationships within the company at an early stage.