The first week of September was filled with many new experiences and, of course, lots of fun.

On the first day, everyone brought an item that reflected a hobby or personal interest. This helped us get to know the other trainees better, which also made it much easier to strike up conversations. We also had the opportunity that day to meet the company’s management, represented by Mr. Plentz. Afterward, we were given a tour of the company premises so we could familiarize ourselves with the most important departments and get our bearings.

It was particularly helpful that every new apprentice and dual-track student at Rutronik is assigned a mentor who provides support with any questions or problems.
 

Visit to the Eisingen Logistics Center

On Tuesday, a trip to Eisingen was on the agenda. There, the new trainees and dual students attended an engaging presentation on logistics at Rutronik. A subsequent tour of the warehouse provided impressive insights into the various storage racks as well as the conveyor belts used to transport goods between departments.
 

Focus on Team Spirit: Rutronik Rally and Team-Building Games

Various team-building games took place several times a week to strengthen the sense of community among the new recruits. I especially liked the game in which three teams were given different materials—either 17 sheets of paper, three dull pencils, or a pencil sharpener. The goal was to write the group’s name on as many sheets as possible and achieve the best result through clever trading.

Another very exciting game was bridge building, in which four teams worked together in pairs. Each group had to build a paper bridge without seeing the partner team’s bridge section. Communication was only allowed three times, for three minutes each time. That made the task particularly exciting. The goal was to build a stable bridge using the two bridge sections from the respective partner teams.

A real highlight was the Rutronik Rally. Armed with a route map, we made our way through nine different departments, where we had to complete various tasks. These included a quiz about Rutronik, a coded text to decipher, and a small obstacle course that we had to navigate as quickly as possible using a cell phone-controlled robot. The winners also received a meal voucher.

Conclusion of Orientation Week

At the end of the week, we received our IT equipment, including our own laptops and the necessary accessories. We were also introduced to important programs such as Netronik, the E-Academy, and other tools. To wrap things up, there was a quiz and a brief feedback session. That marked the end of the orientation week. On September 7, we all started in our first departments or areas of assignment.

We made it through the first week—and it has us excited for everything that’s still to come!