Welcome: 16 young people start their apprenticeship
A warm welcome to our new trainees and students! © HZB
On 1 September, 16 young people began their apprenticeship, dual study programme or voluntary year at HZB. A welcome event, initial insights into the world of research and a communication seminar marked the start of this new phase in their lives.
As an experienced apprenticeship company, we are delighted to be able to accompany young people on their way into working life again this year. On 1 September – the official start of apprenticeship – we welcomed ten apprentices, four dual students in computer science and two participants in a voluntary year at a small welcome event.
‘You have chosen a job that is not only exciting for yourselves, but also important for our society,’ emphasised Silvia Zerbe from the communications department, providing insights into research at HZB. ‘Good science needs many minds in the background. It only succeeds when everything works together – for example, when the IT runs reliably, the workshop works precisely, the purchasing department procures equipment, and the human resources department takes care of our salaries. Starting today, you are part of this large team.’
Training coordinator Christina Herold encouraged the new colleagues to be open to new ideas and to ask questions: ‘Our experienced apprenticeship coordinators are happy to assist you. And the youth and apprenticeship representatives are also there for you at any time.’
Immediately after the welcome, the first joint programme began: a one-and-a-half-day communication seminar conducted by Christina Herold. Because sometimes the most difficult thing is also the most important – talking to each other respectfully, especially when things aren't going smoothly.
What professions are our new colleagues learning?
- 2 office management trainees
- 1 chef
- 2 precision engineers
- 3 IT specialists/system integration
- 2 IT specialists/user development
- 4 dual students in computer science
- 1 participant in the Voluntary Ecological Year
- 1 participant in the Voluntary Natural Science Year
We wish you a good start and lots of fun at HZB. We are glad you are here!
Links
- Israel Ibukun Olaniyan receives the Helmholtz Doctoral Prize 2026At Helmholtz, more than 8,000 doctoral candidates conduct research. Eleven of them have now been honored for their original and outstanding work, among them Dr Israel Ibukun Olaniyan from the HZB. His doctoral thesis "Ferroelectricity at the nanoscale in epitaxial BaTiO3 on silicon" in the group of Professor Catherine Dubourdieu represents a step towards a new nanoelectronics based on topological defects, that can potentially help to create an energy efficient information technology.
- Discover HZB at our Open Day on 28 AugustWe warmly invite you to our Open Day at the Lise Meitner Campus of the Helmholtz Centre Berlin (HZB) in Wannsee! A varied programme awaits you, featuring around 20 stations, guided tours, talks and hands-on activities for all.
- Hatice Mutlu appointed to the Helmholtz Institute HIPOLE in JenaProf. Dr Hatice Mutlu is the new professor of sustainable polymer chemistry at HIPOLE Jena, the Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications. On 17 August 2026, she visited the HZB campus in Berlin-Adlershof including the BESSY II lightsource and discussed future collaboration with researchers and the board of directors.