Meet our Martinswerk Trainees!

For many years, HEM has been training the next generation at Martinswerk in Bergheim, Germany. Martinswerk is a major global supplier of specialty chemical products based on aluminum hydroxides and aluminum oxides and is part of the US-based J.M. Huber Corporation. Currently, we have 19 trainees doing their 3-to-5-year apprenticeship as chemical technicians. Furthermore, we have two young people in our IT department working to become IT specialists for system integration.

Three of our trainees became aware of the chemical technician training program through friends and acquaintances who work at Martinswerk and were happy to share their experiences.  

Meet Ilias Hajji (left), Lea Seele (middle), and Justin Reuter(right).

Justin says, "I was already interested in science at school, especially in chemistry. Some members of my family work in the chemical industry, and they told me a lot about their jobs. So, I decided to go for an apprenticeship as chemical technician."  

 Ilias, Justin and Lea follow a fixed schedule to get familiar with the different production areas. Every 2 to 5 weeks they switch departments. "We accompany the machinery operators and get to know all the production equipment," says Lea. Another focus of the training is material science and quality testing of samples in the lab.  

What do you like the best about training as a chemical technician? 

"We like to work with the production equipment and how the chemical refining processes are monitored directly on site," Justin and Ilias agree.  

"Chemical processes are complicated and when you finally get to the point where you understand them and it 'clicks' - that's fun," says Ilias. "So far I like working in the lab the most, because the test result of a sample determines how to intervene in the further production process," says Lea. Ilias says, "Every day is different." 

What matters to the trainees, in addition to their learning progress, is that their trainer and their colleagues trust them to complete tasks on their own. Justin: "It is a fantastic feeling when you are trusted and then you master the task." Very important, too: to experience success: " At the end of the day, when I have achieved a lot, I can be really proud of myself," says Lea. 

Dirk Kober, who is managing the trainee program at Martinswerk, enjoys an excellent regional reputation. In 2015, the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce nominated him as Trainer of the Year. 

 What qualities are important to succeed as a chemical technician?  

Ilias says, "When it comes to chemical processes, you have to know what you are doing. I am successful when I understand how something works, why something doesn't work, and how I can fix it."  

Lea says, "It's important that you are open and willing to learn, because every equipment is different." Being able to handle stressful situations is also something she finds crucial. A quick intervention by the operators is sometimes necessary to maintain a chemical process without interruption and at a high level of quality.  

What terms do you associate with Martinswerk / J.M. Huber? 

Sunday evenings: #work ??

On all the other days: #CoolTraining #international #WeAreTop #teamwork #respectful #diverse ?? 

What are your plans for the future?  

Ilias, Justin and Lea want to complete their training first, and then decide whether to continue and become a Certified Chemical Foreman ("Industriemeister Chemie") or go to university and study.  

Lea, Justin and Ilias could imagine starting a permanent job at Martinswerk after their traineeship "I really like it here," says Lea. This is confirmation and motivation for Martinswerk and J.M. Huber to continue supporting young talent within the Company