Steyr apprenticeship days want to activate young people with heart and brain

While large companies often offer apprentices the opportunity to further develop their social skills in training courses, this is a challenge for smaller companies. The apprentice days are intended to offer them the opportunity to train their apprentices with a unique experience at low cost and without great effort.

The two-day apprenticeship days initiated by Günter Stöffelbauer, head of the Steyr event agency High Jump, and outdoor trainer Martin Krejcarek in cooperation with Zukunftsregion Steyr and WK Steyr are a kind of helicopter flight for the young adults taking part.

“From this elevated perspective, we see better what it takes for a successful apprenticeship,” says Stöffelbauer, who sees himself as a flight attendant with Krejcarek, drawing attention to important learning experiences. “We want to work together to develop an understanding of teamwork and how to deal with pressure and conflicts,” adds Krejcarek. It is important “to find out how we can motivate ourselves and to understand the interaction between companies and customers and our own role in it”.

Think out of the box

With his company, Stöffelbauer has decades of experience in the conception of events and team events. As a biologist, Krejcarek covers the field of outdoor training and has been supporting executives and companies in organizational development processes for 15 years.

The mixture of participants from different companies and sectors also creates an exciting field of experience for the apprentices. “The topics become visible and tangible in exercises and activities, so that they go into the heart and brain,” says Krejcarek. The slogan of the apprentice days is also “active together with heart and brain”.

The future region of Steyr has been working with the outdoor trainer for years as part of the ProChallenge project. Here, young adults who have completed their apprenticeship training are given the opportunity to further develop their social skills in training courses – similar to the apprenticeship days. This year, the future region is focusing on the main topic “educational region” and is launching various initiatives such as educational vision talks, Global Goals Design Jam and a nature experience. The further training program for apprentices was also initiated. “After the positive feedback from entrepreneurs who took part in the ProChallenge, it was only logical to support apprentices in their development process,” explains network manager Daniela Zeiner. “The advantage of the apprentice days is the cross-industry networking,” says Cornelia Schwabl, head of the Steyr Chamber of Commerce: “Apprentices gain insight into the jobs of their colleagues and can expand their social network in the region.”

The Apprentice Days are 75 percent funded by the WKO. The costs are around 200 euros per apprentice. The first module starts on 11./12. May in the rafting village of Großraming. Registration: Günter Stöffelbauer, office@highjump.at, 0699 / 1179 1580.