She wanted to learn a trade - that had been clear to Lorena Zipfel for a long time. Even during her time at the Fürstabt-Gerbert School in St. Blasien, she considered the question. An internship put her on the track and she completed her training as a precision mechanic for mechanical engineering as a chamber winner.
Precision mechanics? It hasn't been a man's job for a long time, says Lorena.
Yes, she is the only woman in the Swingo line, says the 22-year-old, but precision mechanics has not been a man's job for a long time. There is no reason for that, because she can do all the tasks just like her colleagues - the modern assembly line at Schmidt makes it as easy as possible for all employees.
Her training lasted a total of three and a half years. After she got to know the company as a trainee, the young person and the company soon agreed - she should get an apprenticeship there. However, she had been advised to first attend the one-year metalworking college (there, too, she was the only girl in the class) in Bad Säckingen before her two and a half years of apprenticeship began in the factory halls on the Alb.
After the theory at school, she learned to measure precisely, drill, mill, turn and file in the company's training workshop.
Knowledge of different materials is important
It is also important to be able to read drawings - you have to understand the complex plans and be able to implement them. You can't just walk into the workshop and assemble a sweeper, for example, says training manager Andreas Stoll. For example, you have to know the many different connection techniques, you have to understand what you are doing so that later, among other things, the hydraulic lines are really tight and all the screw connections are tightened with the right torque. Among other things, knowledge about the different materials is very important for this.Stoll explains that the apprentices at Aebi Schmidt go through the most important areas in seven-week steps. In addition to the production lines, the young colleagues also get to know the warehouse, the hydraulics workshop and the repair department, for example. With the overview, the understanding for the work of the other employees also develops - once the colleagues in the production lines are waiting for components, they know exactly how complex the warehouse management is, says the training manager.
When working, you have to pay attention to many points and therefore always concentrate on the task at hand, says Lorena Zipfel. Safety is a top priority, which is why screwed connections are colour-coded, for example, in order to be able to find out the cause if a fault occurs later.
Technical knowledge is crucial, says Lorena Zipfel, and training supervisor Andreas Stoll adds: "I don't see any difference between a man and a woman in this job." The workplace is ergonomically designed, no one has to lift heavy things. The heaviest work step is probably pushing the vehicles to the next assembly station, says Lorena Zipfel with a smile.
The former pupil of the Fürstabt-Gerbert School had already completed her training at the beginning of the year, but she only recently found out the result and thus the information that she had become a chamber winner. By that time, however, she had long since become an integral part of the team in the Swingo production. "I was given a nice welcome," she says. And training manager Stoll hopes that other young women will follow Lorena Zipfel's example and learn a technical profession.
We warmly congratulate Lorena Zipfel on her masterly achievement and wish her continued joy and success in her dream job.
Photo: Sebastian Barthmes