USAG Bavaria welcomes apprentices to workforce

TOWER BARRACKS, Germany - Directorates of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria welcomed their five newest apprentices during an onboarding event Sept. 3 and then showed the apprentices their new workplace with a Grafenwoehr training area tour Sept. 5, 2024.

USAG Bavaria Command Sgt. Mayor Hermes F. Acevedo and deputy to the garrison commander Dwayne Key welcomed them during their onboarding session.

"It's really important to us that you all want to be a part of this team, because it really is a great team," said Key during his brief. "No matter how long you spend with us, I'm just super happy that you're signing up to be a part of this team."

Acevedo emphasized the importance of new and good personnel for the garrison and its community members.

"I think it's very important that we attract the right talent to take care of our family members and our employees and our Soldiers and everybody that comes to visit garrison Bavaria," said Acevedo. "The talent is what is our strength."

An apprenticeship in the German system allows interns to obtain on-the-job training while also attending a vocational school. The program provides an innovative way to supplement and rejuvenate the local national segment of the garrison workforce.

"Over 50 percent of our personnel are local national employees," said Collin Guy, director of integrated technology for the garrison. "They're really the backbone of our continuity and being able to do any of the work that we do. And so that's a really important way for us to get new local national employees in and train them up."

"And it's going to be hard to attract people, but if we can get them in as apprentices and they can learn with us to do that job, they're going to be more likely to stay and they're going to be more successful in their job," Guy continued. "The Army is a completely different place to work compared to anywhere else you'd find off post."

USAG Bavaria offered a variety of apprenticeship positions since 1998. So far, there have been more than 100 graduates of the program. Of the graduates, 77 percent have chosen to continue working with the Grafenwoehr Military Community.

"Our Host Nation apprenticeship and dual study programs are constantly growing; for the candidates, these programs provide a solid foundation for a future career," said Ann-Kathrin Hartmann, program analyst at Workforce Development. "For the organization, this is a valuable opportunity to groom young, energetic personnel. Apprenticeship and dual study candidates are the subject matter experts and leaders of tomorrow!"

Hartmann herself was a former apprentice and is now responsible for the apprenticeship program at USAG Bavaria.

This year the Directorate of Integrated Technology welcomed the first USAG DIT apprentice.

"I'm really excited because this is the first time ever that in USAG Bavaria, we've had an IT apprentice across other directorates," said Guy. "So it's kind of a history-making thing for the Directorate of Integrated Technology in Bavaria, and I hope it's not the last one."

All five apprentices expressed excitement to work in an international environment, to learn, and to meet new people.

"I applied for the IT position here with the US Army because I am interested in the different work environment compared to the German market," said Samuel Schmidt, apprentice with DIT. "Of course, I'm also really looking forward to working with American civilians, working with the Soldiers and to help the team. … I can only recommend the apprenticeship program to anyone who wants to make a change."

"My grandma works for DPW as an electrician; she told me about this opportunity," said Lilly Kaiser, new Directorate of Public Works apprentice. "I am interested in the international work environment, and I am looking forward to improving my English skills and to make new connections. So I applied."

After the theoretical part, the apprentices and their trainer participated in a Water Tower Museum tour where they learned about the history of their new employer.

The onboarding event was followed by a tour of the Grafenwoehr training area, during which the trainees, trainers and other partners and invited guests, such as Mayor Hans-Martin Schertl, explored the training area.

The tour ended with a joint lunch.

The five new apprentices are:

- Selina Goeschel - Directorate of Resource Management

- Lilly Kaiser - DPW

- Franziska Kastner - DPW

- Leonie Mayer - DPW

- Samuel Schmidt, Samuel - DIT

The onboarding tour was joined by USAG Bavaria's first dual study student Beatrice Vogel who starts her journey with USAG Bavaria Oct. 1 with DRM.

For a list of American job opportunities and German job and apprenticeship opportunities, visit https://home.army.mil/bavaria/index.php/employment.

For pictures of the onboarding events visit: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBGoJb

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