This year, apprentices from Schaffhausen had the opportunity to work at GF Machining Solutions in Biel for six months. Read their first-hand report on their experience here.

Mediamaticians take Biel by storm

Last year, Brooklyn-Owen and Leandro, two apprentices from Schaffhausen, had the opportunity to work at GF Machining Solutions in Biel for six months. Read their first-hand report here.

For the first time, we apprentices from Schaffhausen were given the opportunity to spend six months of our third apprenticeship year in Biel. We decided to split the time so that each of us could spend about three months in Biel and benefit from the experience. Brooklyn-Owen supported the marketing team from August to November 2022, followed by Leandro, who replaced him during the winter months.

Mediamaticians from Schaffhausen take Biel by storm

Brooklyn-Owen and Leandro in Biel

"Our time at GF Machining Solutions was a unique experience for both of us."

Brooklyn-Owen and Leandro

Our experiences and impressions

Brooklyn-Owen

In Biel, I had the opportunity to work on an exciting social media project on my own. I was entrusted with the entire concept, so I had a free hand and could implement all my creative ideas. The centerpiece was a campaign with GF employees as testimonials, who were supposed to describe GF in a single word. During this time, I had the chance to meet many new colleagues.

Leandro

Participating in GF Machining Solutions' Future Day was definitely one of my favorite tasks. Together with an experienced design engineer, I was allowed to accompany a few children through production. It was a pleasant change from everyday life and I learned a lot about the products and machines myself. In addition, I was able to perform numerous photo shoots in the new studio and even assist with a livestream recording.

We benefited a lot from Ryan, the same-aged mediamatician apprentice in Biel. Especially with regard to the language differences, he eased our first few weeks. Since a large part of the team there are native French speakers, we were faced by new challenges and gained a whole new insight into the working world.

What also has to be mentioned, of course, is the unique experience beyond work. Living independently in a new city and cooking for yourself are experiences you don't get very often our age. We experienced Biel as a beautiful and peaceful city with lots of shopping opportunities.

Our conclusion

On balance, it was an educational time and a cool experience that we can both look back on in a positive light. We would have regretted not taking this opportunity and would recommend all subsequent learners to take advantage of such opportunities.