Training with a future: STILL promotes young talent

Single parents, young professionals with ambitious career aspirations, women entering traditionally 'male' industries, and apprentices starting in the midst of a pandemic – the biographies of current and former STILL apprentices are diverse. However, they all have one thing in common: they demonstrate that at STILL, the intralogistics specialist, it is not only the forklift trucks that are tailor-made, but also the careers. STILL training manager Jan Wehlen emphasises: "We attach great importance to finding the right path for all our young employees. This is the only way we can achieve our very high retention rate of over 90 per cent." STILL is particularly proud that an increasing number of young women are choosing technical and logistical professions. Internships, opportunities for personal exchange at an early stage of career orientation, information sessions and practical days specifically for girls, and a supportive corporate culture are all helping to break down traditional gender stereotypes.

Individual support – whatever life may have in store

For 23-year-old industrial mechanic Katrin, arriving at work in the morning is almost like a family reunion. In addition to her father and brother, her uncle and her father's cousin also work at STILL. However, Katrin knows from experience that professional life doesn't always run smoothly – she became pregnant in the middle of her second year of training. She recalls, "At first, I thought that would be the end of my apprenticeship." However, her superiors at STILL reacted with great understanding. And great energy: Safe working areas, flexible organisation, and a lot of personal support enabled her to take her theoretical exam in her final months of pregnancy, and to successfully continue her apprenticeship after a year of parental leave. Looking back, she asks: "What employer would allow something like that?" Since taking on the role, she has been working part-time with exactly the number of hours per week that allows her to balance her job with looking after her young son. In a few years, the young mother can even imagine becoming a technician or even a master craftswoman, and she is confident that she could even achieve this with STILL's support. This willingness to find individual solutions is evident throughout the company. “At STILL, we focus strongly on the individual development of our apprentices, who learn and work with us,” says STILL training supervisor Andreas Gschwill. This is why the company creates space for part-time working, career re-entry and professional development, all of which are tailored to the individual's personal circumstances.

People-orientated career paths

At the same time, the company provides a supportive environment for young talent to excel. When Ole began his industrial mechanic apprenticeship at STILL in 2012, he could have started at a larger company in Hamburg. However, he deliberately chose STILL, impressed by the team spirit among the employees and the family atmosphere in the departments. By the age of 21, he had completed his training to become an industrial foreman. “I wanted to become a team leader straight away,” says the 29-year-old. STILL supported his further training financially and helped him gain additional qualifications. However, they deliberately slowed him down, letting him gain valuable experience for another three years before he took on a team leadership position at the age of 24. At the time, he felt impatient, but today, as a team leader responsible for 18 employees, he reflects, “At 21, fresh out of master craftsman school, it would probably have been too early. It's good that I was given time to develop personally.” Jan Wehlen explains: “From the training stage onwards, we focus on sustainability and long-term prospects. Developing young people without professional experience into seasoned managers adds particular value to the job.” 

Open, approachable and genuine: Guidance on equal terms

Many apprentices emphasise the unique 'STILL spirit' from the outset of the application process. Dominik began his mechatronics technician training in 2021, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, this meant digital interviews and virtual tests, but there was still a personal touch. “Everyone made a great effort to create a friendly atmosphere and give us a pleasant start to our training,” says the 22-year-old. Training supervisor Nils Reinecke from STILL confirms this impression: “At the start of the apprenticeship, our focus is on empowering young people and helping them overcome any uncertainties they may have.” With success: Dominik completed his training in 2024 with excellent grades and was immediately offered a position as a service engineer in automation. Despite his young age, he now assists customers and service technicians throughout Europe with software and hardware issues relating to automated vehicles.

This is also part of the STILL philosophy: giving young people real responsibility. Gaining insights into everyday working life in intralogistics through activities such as trade fairs or internships can also boost confidence. Angelina (19), a first-year apprentice warehouse logistics specialist, did an internship at STILL before starting her apprenticeship. It was a good decision: “It was really fun. That's when I knew this was the job for me,” she says. She is looking forward to her second year of training, when logistics apprentices at STILL can obtain their forklift truck licence and operate the 'really big machines' — if they feel confident enough. “We always look at each person individually. This enables us to develop our apprentices in line with the challenging tasks that await them,” says training supervisor Marian Weste.

Diversity as a living reality

With its training programme, STILL shows how modern talent promotion can be successful: flexible, humane and sustainable, and based on equal terms. There are many different paths that lead to STILL. What connects them all, however, is a sense of appreciation, support and community. Many apprentices report positively on howresponsibility is naturally assigned to them, thereby placing confidence in them. For instance, STILL apprentices organise school fairs themselves, where they share their experiences of working with the Hamburg-based company with young people. They are also permitted to participate in major industry trade fairs such as CEMAT – for team leader Ole, this remains a highlight of his apprenticeship.
Incidentally, Dominik's father has worked at STILL for 40 years. Could Dominik see himself doing the same? “At the moment, I feel very comfortable with all the freedom I'm given,” he says. Thanks to the opportunity to rotate internally and get to know other departments, he can well imagine staying at STILL for a long time to come.

Further information on the STILL vocational training programme and apprenticeship vacancies for 2026 can be found here: Training & Integrated Degree Program | STILL Germany

For exciting insights into vocational training at STILL and the application process, visit the company's LinkedIn channel.