From apprentice to foreman
Manuel in an
interview about
his career
From completing his apprenticeship as a wood technician to work preparation: Manuel shows just how varied a career at THEURL can be. In this interview, he talks about his career, what he particularly likes about his work and why he decided to train as a foreman.
How was your wood technology apprenticeship at THEURL?
I started my wood technology apprenticeship at THEURL in September 2014. It was a very instructive and exciting time for me. I had the opportunity to familiarise myself with many different areas – from wood processing to quality assurance.
How was your transition from the army back to work?
After completing my apprenticeship at the end of 2017, I decided to stay with the company. After six months out of the army, I was able to return to production as a floater and was happy to be part of TEAM THEURL again. My area of responsibility there was as varied as you would imagine: I switched back and forth between operating the equipment and driving the forklift.
How did you come to take on the job in work preparation?
I wanted to take on more responsibility and when the opportunity arose to take over the position of the current plant manager Bernd Gasser in the work preparation department at the sawmill, one thing led to another. The training programme lasted a year and Bernd and I still work hand in hand today.
What are your main tasks in work preparation?
My main task is to plan and organise the cutting of the wood, tailored to each project. This also includes liaising with the other plants regarding the supply of raw materials, coordinating with the sales department and consulting with the logistics department. I am therefore in constant contact with various people in the company. That’s what makes the whole thing so varied.
How do you deal with challenges such as last-minute changes?
I now deal with such challenges with confidence. It is part of my daily work to react flexibly and find solutions. The dialogue with colleagues and the good teamwork help me a lot.
Why did you decide to train as a foreman?
I decided to train as a foreman because I was looking for new professional challenges. I find it particularly exciting that it teaches a comprehensive understanding of operational processes and also covers areas such as financing and company management. I already received a solid basic education during my apprenticeship, but for my current area of work I can take a lot of additional knowledge with me from the foreman training and put it into practice straight away. To summarise, I simply wanted to understand the big picture better, see through the connections and gain new insights.
How do you reconcile the foreman training programme with your current everyday life?
The training takes place once or twice a month on Fridays and Saturdays in Kuchl, Salzburg. Of course it was a change at first, combining work, training and private life, but after around a year everything has settled down really well. Thanks to the summer break, you can also take a breather. However, good time management is still necessary so that I still have time for club work and other leisure activities.
Would you recommend the foreman training programme to a colleague?
Now, after the first year, I can say that it is challenging – sometimes more demanding than expected – but definitely doable and, above all, incredibly interesting. Especially if you are prepared to invest one weekend a month and are genuinely interested, the programme is very worthwhile. The content becomes more and more exciting, especially from the second year onwards, where the topics covered are exactly those that directly affect me in my current job in work preparation. The first year of training was a good refresher with valuable new input – and now I’m just looking forward to what’s to come!
Manuel shows: With initiative, perseverance and genuine interest, you can achieve great things step by step: from apprentice to budding foreman. We are proud to support him in his interests and look forward to what lies ahead.
