CERTUSS in the press

Krefeld · Whilst many apprenticeship places are being cut in light of the current economic situation, the Krefeld-based specialist in steam generators is taking on eight new apprentices. Why the company has chosen this path and what benefits it hopes to gain.

The economic situation is challenging – and that’s putting it mildly. But that is precisely what matters to Tim Leuchtmann, who is in charge of human resources at the Krefeld-based company CERTUSS. He is focused on fostering optimism in difficult times and generating fresh impetus through young colleagues. And so, on relatively short notice, the HR team leader came up with the idea of offering more apprenticeship places.
“It was essentially a last-minute decision that we made at the end of 2025 and which required a great deal of extra work in a very short space of time,” recalls Leuchtmann. But why go to all that trouble, especially at such short notice? “We’ve been thinking about how the company can be well-positioned for the long term and what it takes to achieve that. One point was particularly important to us: a sense of connection to the business. We want our staff to feel part of the company and to be very well connected across all departments. The best way to achieve this is by training the next generation ourselves,” explains Leuchtmann.

Even though skilled workers recruited from outside could also be trained effectively, this is not only very time-consuming but also, in terms of networking, still different from the case of an employee trained within the company. “I have high hopes for the discussions we intend to hold regularly with the young people. It will be interesting to hear their ideas, suggestions for improvement, but also their critical objections,” says the team leader.
The HR department got the new year off to a flying start, showcasing the company at apprenticeship fairs and quickly placing adverts for apprenticeship places, particularly in the new commercial roles. It has been over 20 years since such apprenticeships were last offered at CERTUSS. And what particularly surprised the steam specialists was that, in almost all areas, well over 100 young people applied. Thirty of them were invited to an assessment centre; eight will start their apprenticeships in September – two in the technical field, two as industrial business administrators, two as warehouse logistics specialists and two as office management assistants.

“We train people to meet our own needs and hope to be able to retain all our new apprentices,” explains Leuchtmann, who believes that the shortage of skilled workers is more likely to worsen than improve in the future. In collaboration with Siemens, the technical training will take place not only at Certuss but also in the Siemens training workshops. There are also plans to provide close, personalised support to help them get off to a good start in their working lives. Leuchtmann remains full of optimism: “I’m looking forward to the time ahead. It’s going to be exciting.”

(bk mua) 

Rheinische Post, 19.08.2026

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