A group of eleven apprentices and two trainers took part in a reforestation initiative organized by the German Alpine Association at Revier Glashütte, near Tegernsee in Germany’s Bavarian Alps. Replanting areas deforested by storms is an important component of strategies aimed at protecting settlements from rock falls, avalanches, and floods. Nature conservation has been a key element of the training program at Bosch in Reutligen for a number of years. This is the third time that trainers have encouraged young apprentices to experience nature and learn about themselves in this way.
Working under the guidance of expert forestry workers on steep and stony slopes in an unfamiliar environment demanded a great deal of physical and mental effort from the young people. However, they had been well prepared for the challenge. “We were under no delusions,” comments Johanna Pfeifer, a third-year apprentice in microtechnology. As the only female in the group, she had her own room, while the others slept in a dormitory with no electric lighting or running water. The only places to wash were the wooden trough in front of the Alpine hut or the ice-cold stream. The apprentices only ate what they cooked for themselves, and firewood for warmth first had to be collected from the great outdoors. The young apprentices gathered valuable experience during the nature conservation project. Every morning started early on with a steep climb into the arduous forest terrain. Nevertheless, the Bosch apprentices succeeded in planting some 1,200 spruces, pines, and larches each day, pushing the limits of their physical endurance. Working in teams kept everyone together and reinforced a sense of self-responsibility. Appreciating and understanding nature also played a key role.
In 2006, 1,460 young people began an apprenticeship at one of Bosch’s German locations. This all-round training ensures that Bosch always has qualified specialists. However, it also represents a key aspect of Bosch’s corporate social responsibility that young associates too can experience in various forms – including project weeks – even before they complete training. In total, Bosch is currently training 6,000 young people globally, 4,400 of them in Germany. Bosch is training over 30 percent more apprentices than the company itself needs.
