Occupation with a Future – Apprenticeships at MM

Paper technicians, electricians specialised in automation technology and packaging engineers are three examples of the various trainee qualifications offered by the MM Group. At the end of 2012, 215 apprentices were undergoing training at sites in Germany and Austria. The MM Group presently offers a total of 27 different apprenticeships run at 18 sites. 
Qualified young professionals are the key to sustained business success. Considering the large number of specialists involved in producing cartonboard products, MM strongly believes in the value of training specialist staff on site at our own machines. Based on the slogan ‘traineeship is the road to success’, we provide our young professionals with the skills they need to start their career at our Company. This helps to retain technical know-how in the Group over the long term while presenting our employees with attractive career opportunities. 

A key component of this program is the targeted recruitment of apprentices. The mill’s HR managers maintain close ties with vocational schools, and the group also places ads in trainee portals and information leaflets to make interested parties aware of the training opportunities at MM. The technical vocations, which tend to be unknown to the general public, offer interesting long-term career opportunities. 
We want our trainees to start their vocational training at MM knowing what to expect. Therefore, accepted applicants have the opportunity to come in for a trial day with their future employer. Also, every new apprentice is assigned a buddy apprentice who has already spent some time with us. These mentors provide guidance and assistance. 

As they are working for an international company, geographic flexibility and knowledge of foreign languages are important for our apprentices. In addition, there are opportunities to participate in an inner-company international exchange. English lessons are offered to all apprentices to help them acquire the language skills necessary to go to adifferent country or to support their career in Austria. Upon completion of the traineeship, flexible employees are given the option of working abroad. In addition to honing their technical skills, we set a high value on supporting our trainees’ personality development. For this reason, all MM apprentices regularly participate in compulsory MM-Academy courses. Four seminars each year teach them valuable skills such as how to communicate with purpose and persuasion, how to improve their time management or how to successfully give presentations. 
The annual Kick-Off-Days in Germany and Austria provide all trainees throughout the group’s locations with an opportunity to get to know each other. Together, they discuss and present a topic. In 2012 ‘responsibility’ was in the focus, a corporate value that is not only discussed, but actively embraced at MM and reflected in the way we train our future employees.

What is the MM-Academy?

The MM-Academy founded in 2006 acts as the central training institution for all employees of the MM Group. The focus rests on specialist training as well as the ongoing refinement of social, leadership and foreign language skills. 

In 2008 the MM-Apprentice Academy was inaugurated and set out to teach trainees in Austria and Germany important soft skills. Social and communication skills, the ability to work in a team, as well as commitment and the willingness to keep learning are becoming ever more crucial success factors in the vocational arena in addition to specialist know-how. 

It is the MM-Academy’s objective to impart, develop and foster know-how, talents and skills. It is the ultimate goal to impart the ability to effectively apply the lessons on a day-to-day basis.