On Thursday, 1. September 2005 eleven new trainees started their initial training at J. Schmalz GmbH.

They were welcomed by the managing directors Dr. Kurt Schmalz and Wolfgang Schmalz and by the personnel manager Martin Helbling.

An innovation in this year is the new vocation "parts preparation", for which training is being provided in cooperation with the "Oberlinhaus" in Freudenstadt, an organisation which provides assistance to socially deprived persons. In this cooperation scheme, the trainees receive a one-year training contract with the Oberlinhaus, followed by a one-year training contract with J. Schmalz GmbH. The course duration is two years with theoretical lessons at the local vocational training school and at the Oberlinhaus and practical training at J. Schmalz GmbH.

Part preparation is a vocation similar to that of an industrial mechanic, with activities in the areas of manufacturing and production. The persons have basic knowledge of metal processing and their tasks include care and maintenance of equipment and machines and the preparation of parts for machines, equipment and tools.

With this innovation, J. Schmalz GmbH now offers training in 13 different vocations, together with courses for students at universities of cooperative education, which will be expended in 2006 by addition of the profession "specialist for stockroom logistics".

Schmalz thus has an excellent trainee quota of 14% of the total number of employees (currently 39 trainees and students).

Schmalz sets an example in the area of vocational and professional training, and trains more people than any other company in the region.