Study in Germany: TUM offers numerous opportunities for vocational training

The university is all set to offer various vocational training and 30 new apprentices will start their training this year in various fields including mechatronics, electronics, and others.

The Technical University of Munich conducts research at a world-class level which requires much skilled academic staff, and professors. At TUM, 30 new apprentices will start their training this year. The professions range from glass apparatus engineering, IT systems, mechatronics, electronics, and specialists in chemistry laboratories.

TUM Vocational Training Centre is headed by Monika Partsch-Schwaiger. She herself got training at TUM in the 1980s. She said, "The environment at the university is something extraordinary. You are directly involved in science and work together with researchers in the laboratory on groundbreaking experiments, for example. I particularly like looking beyond my own professional field. There's always something exciting happening here."

Another trainee, Jeff Offorjindu, also talked about how the training is helping him with a wide range of topics ranging from inorganic chemistry to environmental to biochemistry to electrochemistry.

"The special thing about TUM is that you can participate in research from the very beginning and contribute to gaining new insights," he says. After completing his German high school diploma, he deliberately decided against studying. He opted for vocational training as a chemical laboratory technician at TUM: "You have an income right from the start. And we learn how to approach the experiments in a very structured way here and can always contact our trainers directly if we have any questions," he said.

Deadline is October end

Interested candidates can apply by October last. Some apprentices like the training so much that they also start degree courses.

TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann commented, "As a chemist myself, I have often benefited from the specialist knowledge and skills of my colleagues from training professions. In the laboratory, we all work together, side by side. This teamwork, the interaction of different perspectives, experiences, and skills, makes our TUM so successful."

Ramona Schütt is an instructor at TUM Vocational Training Center (AuTUM), and she also got training at TUM. She said, "I've always enjoyed passing on my knowledge and helping the trainees," she says.

Ramona Schütt said that the students must find out whether they want to do practical or theoretical work. "The best way to find out whether you enjoy lab work is to do an internship," she added.

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