“Go to Westfalen, they will support you there”

Westfalen establishes two new apprenticeships

Giancarlo Cusumano (l.) and Leni Hustert (r.) with Charlotte Hages (Trainee Corporate Communications, m.) at the apprentices' workbench in the workshop in Gelmer.

The new apprentices have now been at Westfalen for five months and have meanwhile become familiar with the Westfalen world. This also applies to Leni Hustert and Giancarlo Cusumano. But what makes the two of them special? They are completing apprenticeships at Westfalen that have become available for the first time in August 2023. Leni Hustert is training to become a metal technology specialist and Giancarlo Cusumano is training to become an e-commerce merchant. In an interview, the two of them talk about their training, their day-to-day work and how they ended up at Westfalen.

How did you decide on your apprenticeship?

Leni Hustert: My father said to me: “Why don't you do a technical job, that's what you're good at!” So I looked on the internet for information on various apprenticeships and found the metal technology specialist. I liked the fact that the training is scheduled to take two years. That way, I can see if the job is really right for me.

Giancarlo Cusumano: I'm interested in many things that have to do with media. That's why I looked at what kind of training is available in the field of marketing. By chance, I came across the profession of e-commerce merchant and did a bit of research to find out what it actually is. And somehow it sounded exciting.

Leni Hustert; 17 years old; from Freckenhorst; has been an apprentice in the field of metal technology with a focus on assembly technology in the central workshop at the Westfalen plant in Gelmer since August 1, 2023.

How did you find your way to Westfalen?

Giancarlo Cusumano: I looked to see who actually offered this in Münster. That's how I came across Westfalen and applied for a work internship. The internship went well and shortly afterwards I received an offer for a training place.

Leni Hustert: My father has been working for Westfalen since 2022. When it became clear that I wanted to pursue a technical profession, he said: “Apply to Westfalen, they will support you there.” So I did and after interviews with the training manager and the instructors from the department, I was invited to do an internship. On the penultimate day of the internship, I received an offer for an apprenticeship and was extremely happy.

Giancarlo Cusumano; 20 years old; from Münster; has been an apprentice e-commerce merchant at the company headquarters in Münster since August 1, 2023.

What do you do in your apprenticeship?

Giancarlo Cusumano: My training is mainly about Westfalen's cylinder gas online shop. In our day-to-day business, we work with the internal sales team to ensure that the shop is running smoothly. We also keep an eye on whether orders are stuck. I work independently as best I can and am always being taught and shown things. My training also involves further developing the shop. This is where it gets more creative, and for me, it's the most exciting part. For example, I'm currently working on optimizing the product search.

Leni Hustert: I'm currently in basic training. There you learn the skills of filing, drilling, chiseling, and punching, which is the process of impressing metal as a guide when drilling. We also receive tasks and information and have to answer questions. This means that I am not just focused on one thing all the time, but can also do something different from time to time. At the end of the day, it is always the apprentices' job to lock up the workshop. My working day is over around a quarter past three.

What do you like best about the training?

Leni Hustert: I just enjoy building things. We recently built a metal version of the board game Ludo. We marked out a playing field on a metal plate and then drilled it. I thought that was really cool. We learn the skills from the basic training with projects like this.

Giancarlo Cusumano: I like the creative process best. Thinking about how to design the online shop so that it is as appealing as possible to customers? That also includes the user guidance in the background, which I find exciting.

What do you like about Westfalen as an employer and training institution?

Leni Hustert: I really do think the working atmosphere is very good. Everyone greets you with a smile. If I need help, I can always go to my trainer, and he also regularly asks if I need anything. Even when I was having difficulties with a few assignments at vocational school, my colleagues supported me. I appreciated that, because it's not a given.

Giancarlo Cusumano: Everyone gave me a warm welcome; it's almost like family. From the second week onwards, the trainers took you by the hand and you got to know a lot of people and areas in the company. It's just cool that you can network here and talk to anyone in the company.

Apprenticeship at Westfalen

Are you interested in an apprenticeship in the field of metal technology or e-commerce? Or in one of the many other professions that Westfalen trains for? Then take a look at our apprenticeship page or at current advertisements for the start of training in August 2024. We look forward to receiving your application!

We offer apprenticeships