SWG careers day attracts many interested parties to Lahnstraße
Around 100 people came to Lahnstrasse to find out more at the first SWG Careers Day.
As one of the largest employers in the region, Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) is regularly on the lookout for skilled workers. More specifically, people who want to play an active role in shaping the future of Giessen and the region. "We are a modern municipal utility company with an extremely broad range of tasks and lots of exciting activities," explains Andreas Hergaß, Commercial Director of SWG, adding: "I am extremely pleased that so many people came to find out about the career opportunities with us." In fact, around 100 interested people came to the first SWG Careers Day to find out whether SWG is an option for them.
The recruiting stand was particularly popular. Here, employees from SWG's HR department had numerous, sometimes in-depth conversations with their guests. "We were particularly pleased that so many people interested in our technical job profiles, but also specialists from the commercial sector, found their way to us. This shows us that our wide range of offers appeals to many different talents," says Isabel Manssor, Head of Human Resources at SWG. She and her employees were on hand to answer questions between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., explaining what is important in the various professions at SWG, what important social mission SWG fulfils and why it is so meaningful to work in the Stadtwerke Gießen team. "It's about nothing less than decarbonising the energy supply here locally and making it fit for the future, securing the production and transport of drinking water for the coming decades, organising affordable, climate-neutral local transport for everyone and, last but not least, continuing to provide swimming pools for the general public," says Matthias Funk, Technical Director of SWG, describing the complex overarching mission.
Presentations and guided tours
Of course, the SWG Careers Day went far beyond personal discussions. A 20-minute presentation held twice summarised the most important information about the professions and jobs at SWG. "We also revealed the benefits we offer - from flexible working to exciting development opportunities," added Isabel Manssor. These benefits, which go beyond pay, have become an integral part of personnel recruitment. In view of the shortage of skilled labour, companies today have to offer more than just a secure, attractive salary. "Of course, a fair salary plays an important role, but flexibility, work-life balance and an environment in which people enjoy working are also becoming increasingly important. We also offer something that many people particularly appreciate: meaningful work in a truly family-orientated company where team spirit is a top priority," says the HR manager. Amenities such as mobile working and part-time models - both of which have been standard at SWG for many years - are also playing an increasingly important role in the decision for or against a potential employer.
As SWG is aware of its social responsibility and has always attached great importance to training, it is not surprising that this topic was also a focal point of the Careers Day. The guided tours of the training centre were particularly well received in this context. Young people who are learning a technical trade at SWG demonstrated live at the workbench what they do during their training. "Seeing and experiencing what it actually means to learn the profession of a plant mechanic or an electronics technician for industrial engineering certainly helps many people in their decision and makes us interesting as a training company," Isabel Manssor explains the guided tours through the training workshop. Last but not least, SWG also opened its electrical museum to visitors.
Next year again
Those responsible at SWG consider the great response to be a complete success. "Of course, we can't yet estimate how many people will apply to us based on their experience at the Careers Day. But we now know for sure that quite a few can imagine becoming part of our team and making a difference," summarises Andreas Hergaß with satisfaction. So it's hardly surprising that the organisers are already thinking about what a follow-up event could look like. "The premiere was a complete success and we took away a lot of impressions that will help us plan the format for next year. We are already looking forward to welcoming many interested people again," announces Isabel Manssor.