Dürr Wins GACC 2020 Apprenticeship Award

On November 12, the German American Chambers of Commerce (GACC) awarded Dürr the 2020 Apprenticeship Award for outstanding leadership and innovation in workforce development and education for implementing the German-certified MAT2 (Michigan Advanced Technician Training) apprenticeship program in the United States.

The award recognizes Dürr’s hands-on, holistic approach to training and supporting apprentices as they progress into full-time employees. The GACC says Dürr has created a sustainable workforce pipeline that benefits both the company and its employees by providing apprentices with state-of-the-art training equipment and opportunities to grow and explore in directions that interest them. Dürr’s first apprentice, Scott Kristian, also received recognition for his work as a full-time associate installation technician working towards leadership in Project Management.

GACC Midwest’s MAT2 Apprenticeship Program is interlinked with the apprenticeship program at Dürr’s German headquarters in Bietigheim-Bissingen. Students have the opportunity to travel to Germany for a few work terms to get a better pulse on the business and start forming a global network of connections in the industry. MAT2 apprentices also participate in international Mechatronics examinations.

This apprenticeship program allows students to alternate between classroom instruction and on-the-job training, gaining the necessary hands-on skills and real-world experiences for them to become successful in the workforce.

Students in Dürr’s program have stated the company’s holistic approach to apprenticeships makes it a leader in creating valuable career pathways for future generations.

Virginia Rounds, director of Apprenticeship Networks at GACC Midwest, says, “Our mission is to encourage and promote apprenticeship programs in the US, to help employers close the skills gap and develop a globally competitive workforce that continues to succeed every day, and Dürr Systems, Inc. is a prime example of how a company takes an apprenticeship program and makes it their own.”