Our experiences in Germany – by apprentices Ms Siliphone Arnousavanh and Mr Soksai Aphaiyalath

Our experiences in Germany

Editor’s note: Within the Recruitment and Training Programme of BHS Corrugated with the Lao-German Technical College, the company invited five teachers of the school and also two apprentices to an eight-week training course in Weiherhammer in July and August 2018, with full expenses paid. For these seven people three different kinds of training courses were offered, to suit their occupational specializations: Electrical vocational training (Mr Bouthavy Siphonephath, Mr Lumphone Kounglavongsa, Ms Siliphone Arnousavanh), Mechanical vocational training (Mr Somphou Khamphila, Mr Soksai Aphaiyalath), and Administration of Dual Vocational Education and Training (Ms Moukdala Keomixai, Mr Saythong Insarn).
The technical training courses consisted of a total of four weeks’ training in the production and assembly facilities of BHS Corrugated and four weeks’ guided training in the ÜBZO (Überbetriebliches Bildungszentrum in Ostbayern gGmbH – Intercompany Training Center in Eastern Bavaria). The scope, level, and content of each training unit, of course, was customized to the participants’ needs, so there were different offers made to apprentices and teachers. The administrative training course was mainly conducted in the ÜBZO.

In this article, the first two Lao apprentices of BHS Corrugated to train in Germany, Ms Siliphone Arnousavanh (electrical) and Mr Soksai Aphaiyalath (mechanical) report on their experiences in Germany. Although Mr Soksai Aphaiyalath had already worked at a customer’s plant of BHS Corrugated in Khon Kaen (Thailand) for two months before, it still was – for both of them – the first time to travel that far and outside Asia. They were offered this training on the basis of their technical skills and general high performance levels at the LGTC, but also for their English communication skills and overall motivation. After the offer of going to Germany this year was made in March, both of them instantly said yes – a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

From July 01, to August 25, 2018 BHS invited us, MISS SILIPHONE ANOUSAVANH and MR SOKSAI APHAIYALART to come to Weiherhammer in Germany. We did a practical training.

Ms Siliphone Arnousavanh and Mr Xokxay Aphaiyalath in the corrugating rolls workshop of BHS Corrugated in Weiherhammer

The invitees from the LGTC together with AfC-Assistant Ms Bouangeun and Mr Boontee Hanthavong and their son Thonee in the new assembly section of BHS Corrugated

The Lao group with Lars Engel, Managing Director of BHS Corrugated and member of the Foundation Council, on top of the BHS Lifecycle Building

On the first day, We went on a company tour with JOHN (Johannes Zeck). We work a lot at BHS, We rebuilt a wire model. We learned a lot about it. Our trainer explain about the machine, For Example: This machine what is working and that machine what is working. After that we went to UBZO training center and next day we learned in UBZO training center, when we learned in UBZO about three weeks. We had three examination.  It’ s very hard, because it is standard of Euro but we try to do the best according to standard. When we learned in UBZO everybody are friendly and help our  everything about the machine and read the drawing we thought. We lucky, if we learned in UBZO training center.

Ms Siliphone Arnousavanh and her teacher Mr Bounthavy Siphonephath in the electrical workshop of the UeBZO

Ms Siliphone practises for an examination according to the German “IHK” standards during the visit of the new LGTC volunteers (Team VII): Ms Patricia Hopp, Ms Nicole Wiesa, and Ms Dilara Erdogan

One team – Soksai Aphailyalath together with employees of BHS Corrugated in the assembly site in front of a new machine

On a Monday we went to picnic with JOHN (Johannes Zeck), at the lake of WEIHERHAMMER.

Going for a swim in the nearby pond in Weiherhammer…

… to the BHS annual company festival in late July…

… and to the summer serenades in the Max-Reger Park in Weiden

We went to concert with Sonja Pruell in Weiden. The name of concert is “ 35^th Annual Summer  Serenades In Weiden “  It’s happy day, we were ate something and drank something.

Every Wednesday we went to the market for buy something for made a food.

One evening, we went to visit MR CHRISTIAN ENGEL manager director of BHS corrugated. We had a BBQ.

Mr Soksai Aphaiyalath hands over a silver work picture of the LGTC logo to Christian Engel, Managing Director of BHS Corrugated and chairman of the AfC foundation

At the annual AfC festival in Weiherhammer: Christian Engel (Managing Director of BHS & AfC Chairman), Prof. Isabel Martin (University of Education Karlsruhe), Nicole Wiesa, Dilara Erdogan, Patricia Hopp (Team VII), with Johannes Zeck (BHS & AfC) at the back…

… and all the Lao partners…

… enjoying our first evening together!

Several times we were also invited for dinner by “Madame” Gerlinde Engel together with her neighbor Sieglinde “Oma Siegi” Sommer to her house in Floss.

Another invitation…

… to Madame Engel’s house

Ms Moukdala Keomixai and Ms Siliphone Arnousavanh enjoy traditional German “Bratwurst [sausage] and Sauerkraut” in the company restaurant of BHS Corrugated

When we went to Germany we will known about difference of culture, traditional and religion of each country are development.

THANK YOU UBZO Training and to BHS Company for the wonderful time.

Text & photos by S. Arnousavanh & S. Aphaiyalath