Kjell Alexander Nyland and Benjamin Kus received their trade certificates last year. Both achieved the grade “passed with distinction” and were offered permanent positions at Bilfinger’s Plate Workshop.
“I really wanted a job at Bilfinger,” says Kjell. “The first time I was here was during a work placement from Kragerø Upper Secondary School. Back then I was at the mechanical workshop. I liked it there and applied for an apprenticeship, but there wasn’t space for me. Luckily, I got an apprenticeship at the Plate Workshop instead, and I’ve almost liked it even more here than where I was originally placed.”
Interview for the apprenticeship
Benjamin didn’t have a placement at Bilfinger, but still secured an apprenticeship in welding. “My goal was to get a job at Bilfinger, and it worked out,” the welder says with a big smile.
He started his education at Tor Heyerdahl Upper Secondary School in Larvik. His second year he completed at Skogmo Upper Secondary School in Skien before applying for an apprenticeship at Bilfinger. After an interview round, the training position was his.
Hoping for a job
“I asked a bit about job opportunities along the way, and you hinted that there might be possibilities, without being able to promise anything,” Kjell says, looking over at Kenneth Ekli. “We can’t make promises,” explains the department manager for Bilfinger’s Plate Workshop. “But early on, I saw that both Kjell and Benjamin were a good fit for us.”
The importance of fitting in
“There are two things we look for. Apprentices we hire must of course do a good job. But they also need to fit into the department. We want to invest in employees who combine personal qualities with professional competence. If they perform well during their apprenticeship, the path to a permanent position is short.
“It can be difficult to find skilled tradespeople when we advertise positions,” Ekli adds. “The best solution is when we handle the training ourselves. If the apprentices have the interest and the ability, we can shape them into the skilled workers we need.”
The hiring process
The first things the department manager looks at when evaluating students are absence levels and conduct. Top grades in Norwegian or math don’t necessarily mean someone will become a good tradesperson.
“We can’t promise anything when apprentices have only been with us for maybe a year. But we see the signs early. The hiring process really begins when they come to us for their school placement,” Ekli explains. “That’s when they get the chance to show us who they are. It’s a hundred times better than just receiving an application. During the placement period, we get a much better basis for evaluating potential. Students who make a good impression usually get a hint that they should apply for an apprenticeship, and we inform the schools about which students we could see ourselves taking on. We have a very good collaboration with the schools regarding placements.
