Further training

At ECKART, we see our employees as our most important production factor. The company wants a skilled workforce and invests continuously in further training. Vocational further training is a major component in a supplementary collective agreement drawn up between management, the works council, and representatives of the metal workers union IG Metall. The staff of our Personnel Development department plan and organize training courses and draw up schemes for different groups of employees.

In-house seminars

• Part of our further training takes place "in-house", i.e. on ECKART premises at one or more of our locations Fuerth, Guentersthal and Wackersdorf.
• Most of our seminars take place in our "ECKART learning shop" - three training rooms equipped with the latest technology which provide ideal conditions for concentrated, professional learning. An inviting reception area provides a pleasant setting for discussions among colleagues during coffee breaks.
• These courses are for employees of ECKART and ECKA Granulate only and their contents are specially adapted to our employees' needs.
• A programme of all in-house seminars appears twice yearly.
• We currently offer over 50 seminars on a variety of topics:
  • language courses (e.g. English, German spelling following the reform
  • DP seminars (e.g. Windows NT, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint) 
  • technical training courses (e.g. pneumatics, hydraulics)
  • training in professional skills (e.g. quality management, product or contract legislation)
  • training in method competence (e.g. time management for secretaries, moderator techniques, product management)
  • training in social competence (e.g. communication, leadership, conflicts, telephone skills)

External seminars
ECKART employees also take part in external seminars offered by third party training institutions.  These are often on highly specialized topics for which there is not sufficient demand for an in-house group seminar.

• Or a training course may be required in a hurry.
• Or the course might be on a topic on which discussion with participants from other companies would be of value.

IHK (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) certificate courses
Two training courses are held to prepare ECKART employees for IHK examinations which provide them with an (additional) vocational qualification. Our aim in both cases is to raise the level of qualification of a broad sector of our staff and to secure the jobs and career prospects of committed employees. The courses are held in Guentersthal, so that students can combine work and study as conveniently as possible without a lot of travelling.

Chemical production area supervisor
31 employees from our production and development departments and labs are taking part in a training course for the qualification of master craftsman lasting two and a half years. Most of the approx. 850 hours of instruction are given in evening classes twice weekly and on Saturdays. Participants attend classes in their own time, but on successful completion of the course the fees are paid fully by ECKART.

Chemical plant worker
12 production workers, some of whom also have training in other areas, are attending this training course, which lasts just over one year. In addition to some 155 hours of instruction at the workplace in the participants' free time the course also includes secondments to other departments which count as working hours. At the end of the course there is an external examination set by the Chamber leading to the qualification as a skilled worker. The company pay the fees for the course in all cases.