Taking the International Path

Rehm’s workforce is built up of employees from more than 26 countries; contacts come about through trade fairs, job fairs and from our customers themselves

Taking the International Path

Dhanya Thondukulam Kannan and Joachim Erhard

The Alb-Donau region is fortunate: it can boast full employment, as the unemployment rate is at around 2.0 percent. For the companies in this region however, this means one thing: a skills shortage, even though the demand for qualified professionals is simultaneously on the rise. For this reason, Rehm Thermal Systems has already been recruiting skilled workers from abroad for some time now – with great success.

Rehm employs over 600 people worldwide. The site in Blaubeuren alone employs a workforce that“s pooled from more than 26 countries. „We are dependent on foreign specialists – above all in the development and construction segments, but also in the field of software, for mechatronics engineers and technicians“, says HR Manager Joachim Erhard. Due to the low unemployment rate, we had to broaden our horizons and reach for new recruitment opportunities.

Up until now, the contact to potential new employees came about through international trade fairs and job fairs such as the careers day for skilled specialists in Neu-Ulm, the careers fair in Ulm or Sinojobs in Munich – not to mention through Rehm“s customers who operate on an international level. „It is relatively easy to find international specialists; the difficulty lies in bringing these specialists to Germany“, Joachim Erhard explains. Those responsible for the recruitment of international specialists at Rehm have received a great deal of assistance from the Welcome Center Ulm/Oberschwaben, located at the Ulm Chamber of Industry and Commerce. „The Welcome Center has been a great help to us in many aspects: in helping us to correctly adhere to authorisation procedure, particularly when it comes to recognising university education, the content of study courses at these foreign universities and the official certification of degrees and diplomas“, Erhard adds.

A retrainee mechatronics engineer from Iraq, a machining specialist from Syria, a software engineer from Cameroon and a Chinese electrical systems designer all work at Rehm: the fields of employment are just as diverse as the employees“ countries of origin. They work directly on the systems, develop and implement software or engineer the systems themselves. Rehm Thermal Systems is searching for specialists in nearly all areas – and in the best cases, it is finding them. Dhanya Thondukulam Kannan, from India, has been working as a software developer at Rehm for approximately two years. Among other things, she is responsible for MES applications support as well as software integration. „I want to work here in the region because there are many companies here and therefore many prospects and opportunities available“, says Dhanya Kannan. Integrating into life in Germany was not always easy for her – due mainly to language difficulties. „The German language and the Swabian dialect are extremely difficult“, she explains.

Joachim Erhard’s conclusion on the experience with international specialists so far is very positive: „We at Rehm have noted very good experiences with international specialists to date. We will continue on this path in order to meet our need for specialists in the future.“ During the integration process, it is extremely important to those responsible that their new colleagues feel at ease. To this aim, Rehm offers an „all-round package“, as Erhard points out: „We support our employees in finding their feet in Germany, with the day-to-day practicalities – starting with somewhere to live, on through their language course and even to opening their bank account.“

A film about international specialists is available on the Rehm Thermal Systems website ( https://www.rehm-group.com/de/karriere/arbeiten-bei-rehm.html).

As a specialist in the field of thermal system solutions for the electronics and photovoltaics industries, Rehm is a technology and innovation leader in the modern and economical production of electronic modules. As a globally operating manufacturer of reflow soldering systems with convection, condensation or vacuum, drying and coating systems, functional test systems, equipment for the metallisation of solar cells as well as numerous customer-specific special systems, we are represented in all relevant growth markets and, as a partner with almost 30 years of industry experience, we implement innovative manufacturing solutions that set standards.

Firmenkontakt
Rehm Thermal Systems GmbH
Anna-Lena Kast
Leinenstraße 7
89143 Blaubeuren
07344 9606 746
07344 9606 525
an.kast@rehm-group.com
http://www.rehm-group.com

Pressekontakt
Rehm Thermal Systems
Anna-Lena Kast
Leinenstraße 7
89143 Blaubeuren
07344 9606 746
07344 9606 525
an.kast@rehm-group.com
http://www.rehm-group.com