When a brand new special vehicle from the WAS factory rolls into the car park, mechatronics engineer Janek ten Brink has carried out almost every single conversion step himself: from removing the seats from the base vehicle to wiring the interior and fitting the blue light to the 230 V test to testing all the functions. Mechatronics engineers are real all-rounders who master technologies from different craft disciplines. In order to prepare them well for their role during the apprenticeship, they pass through all production areas at WAS. The experience gained in line production, manufacturing, service, metalworking, table production and prefabrication creates a deep understanding of interrelationships and the work steps colleagues have to perform.
Safely achieving goals.
Janek ten Brink also learned his trade during his apprenticeship at WAS. Today he works in manufacturing, but many mechatronics engineers are also employed in line production. Larger vehicle series are built there, with each colleague carrying out a specific work step. “That’s why apprentices also start with us in line production first, because that’s how they get to know a specific task for different vehicles in detail. With each additional step, they learn how to produce a complete vehicle and become more and more independent”, Janek explains the procedure. Of course, no one is left alone. After detailed instruction by an experienced colleague, the apprentices work more and more independently, but can call on a journeyman at any time. This creates security and more confidence in one’s own abilities with each new step learned.
With greater knowledge comes greater responsibility.
With growing experience and independence, more initiative is also required. Employees need to read through the specifications containing the customer’s requirements in order to work on the project and then discuss these with the project manager. Once the apprentices have gone through all the work steps in line production, they can consolidate and deepen their knowledge in manufacturing. Here, they accompany the electrician primarily responsible and the project manager up to interim acceptance with the customer in order to check the positioning of individual components (radio handset, glove dispensers, recovery tools, etc.). For test preparation and the daily keeping of the report book, there is the apprenticeship workshop, where practice material and laptops are available.
Special in special vehicle construction.
Is the profession of mechatronics engineer in special vehicle construction actually something special too? “At WAS, you learn everything that is required of mechatronics engineers everywhere. Once you have grasped the trade, you can in principle perform any task of the profession at any company. Here, the individual work steps are extremely interdependent and you have to be able to rely on your team. Maybe that’s not the case everywhere”, Janek answers. For him, it was especially important to have friendly colleagues when looking for the right apprenticeship place. Understandable when you work so closely together.
Expertise in apprenticeships.
Jasmin Gerdes has been our expert and contact person for apprenticeship coordination and recruiting since 2023. As a graduate of a dual business studies programme at WAS, she knows the company as an apprenticeship company from both perspectives. The best prerequisites!
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