OWL Maschinenbau-Award 2011

An award yet again - now for the personnel policy

For personnel planners it has been a certainty for some time: The continuing decline in the birth rate in Germany will exacerbate the shortage in skilled personnel. This is why it appears to be even more important to increase our efforts with the upcoming generations. With young people, who should guarantee innovation and production in the company in the future. We at HORA try and stir the interest of our experts of tomorrow, when they are still at school.

Personnel development at HORA is very important. The 40 apprentices and students still account for more than 14 percent of staff. This exemplary training policy at HORA was honoured with the OWL Maschinenbau Award 2011 by the OWL Maschinenbau network.

"I have to consider today the challenges of the future" said Prof. Dr. Dieter Dresselhaus, Managing Director. "These long-term approaches are not just important in product development or customer support, but also in the personnel policy" continued Dresselhaus. In order to make the range of training and apprenticeship options and the perspectives they offer known as early as possible in the region, HORA starts making visits to the local eighth and ninth grade school classes. It thus commences networking locally in the east Westphalia-Lippe at a very early stage.

An approach that pays dividends. At HORA, there are hardly any trainees that are not employed after training is completed. Practically everyone remains at the company. Half of them are students engaged in a combined joint study programme of practical and academic training at HORA. After their training is concluded, they will have a completed apprenticeship or academic qualification. Whether industrial clerical staff, mechatronics technicians or mechanical engineers: All of them benefit from the exemplary training with the maximum possible practical slant at HORA.

The OWL Maschinenbau initiative has not just awarded the training programme of the medium-sized company, but rather the overall employee development concept. At HORA, this also incorporates older employees. The challenge of demographic change is met with part-time work models for mothers, fathers and those approaching retirement.

The artist, who was commissioned with the design of the sculpture in the course of an arts competition, decided on Held (Hero) for the name of her sculpture. Nicole Vegelahn, personnel developer at HORA, likes it a lot: "The prize is certainly an award for the trainees at HORA, whose hard work and dedication show their commitment to our concept."