Apprenticeship kick-off with Geocaching: Working as a Team on a Shared Mission
The first day of training marks the beginning of a new, formative chapter in young people’s lives: They take on responsibility, discover their strengths, and grow both as individuals and as a team. That’s why FORUM MEDIA GROUP welcomed its new apprentices with an onboarding day centered entirely on a shared mission: During a geocaching tour through Merching, new and experienced apprentices got to know one another, overcame challenges, and laid the foundation for a strong team.
Four New Apprentices Get Off to a Flying Start at FORUM
On September 1, four new apprentices were welcomed at the Merching location: Two of them began their apprenticeships at FORUM MEDIA GROUP – one as an IT specialist for system integration and the other as an IT specialist for application development. Two others began their professional careers at FORUM VERLAG HERKERT GMBH as a digital and print media specialist and a marketing communications specialist, respectively.
They were warmly welcomed by supervising staff as well as by senior apprentices and dual-track students at the company. These individuals will serve as mentors to the new arrivals in the future. After the welcome and an introduction to the day´s program, creative icebreaker games provided an opportunity to strike up conversations in a relaxed atmosphere.
Welcome and introductory meeting at the FMG Glass Forum.
Breaking New Ground Together & Overcoming Challenges
A special highlight of the morning was a varied geocaching tour through Merching. Together with their mentors and supervisors, the newcomers split into two groups and set out in search of clues and solutions. At each stop, they had to complete tasks, interpret information correctly, and coordinate as a team. The tasks were creative, fun, and varied: everything was included, from tricky geography questions to a collaborative poem about Merching or a picture they drew themselves. “Geocaching was fun and provided a great opportunity to get to know each other better in a relaxed atmosphere,” was the general consensus among the participants when they returned to the company.
The team event thus not only provided physical activity and a change of pace but also created an initial space for everything that will define the upcoming apprenticeship: exploring new paths together, overcoming challenges, and contributing individual strengths, but also finding support and celebrating successes together. In a playful way, this already fostered a great deal of interaction, cohesion, and an initial sense of unity.
Armed with a tablet, team spirit, and good humor, they solved many tricky challenges: Team “Proxy,” one of two teams of trainees on their geocaching tour through Merching.
Finding Their Place in the Team, the Company, and Their Own Workplaces
After this adventurous mission, the trainees recharged their energy over a group lunch. Afterward, during a tour of the building, they got to know the company and the most important points of contact in their day-to-day work.
Marcus Edholzer, General Manager of FORUM VERLAG HERKERT GMBH, warmly welcomed them on behalf of the management. In his remarks, he introduced the company and offered the new trainees motivational advice for getting started. His words also had a very special personal touch, as his own professional career began with an apprenticeship at FORUM.
At the end of the onboarding day, the trainees received a personal welcome gift and then headed to their respective departments, where they set up their workstations and got to know their new colleagues.
The joint kickoff made it clear: At FORUM, training begins with a strong sense of community. The positive feedback underscored how valuable it is to start an apprenticeship that not only provides professional guidance but also creates opportunities for connection and team spirit.
The FORUM MEDIA GROUP looks forward to the training period with its four new young talents and wishes them plenty of curiosity, a love of learning, and success as they continue their journey.
Cover photo: New and experienced apprentices were able to bond as a team right from the first day.