Training – getting started with WhatsApp

This is more or less how many young people begin their careers – not infrequently with a training scheme. In order to master the first step, there are a few questions that need to be answered: what career is right for me? And what company will provide the right sort of training? And how do I then actually get the training slot I want?

For many technical careers, and commercial ones as well, Krones AG once a year showcases its corporate capabilities as a training provider. “We offer training at all our German facilities, i.e. in Neutraubling, Nittenau, Freising, Rosenheim and Flensburg. We always endeavour, of course, to supply as much information as possible before the actual training starts – on the training contents and the job’s future prospects, but also, of course, on the Krones company in general and on organisational matters like the job application process,” relates Franziska Bayerl, coordinatrix for training at Krones. Traditional-type job fairs, and the Training Day at Krones on the company’s own premises, are particularly important for this information flow. But online too, e.g. on the website or in the blog, as more or less a standard feature, Krones offers information on training, everyday life at Krones and tips on how to apply for a job. “But what’s important for us, of course, is not only sending information, but also the option for job-seekers to ask us questions,” emphasises Franziska. Since 2013, the social media have been providing an option for this purpose at Krones, and since 2018 our own Instagram channel, too, themed around career opportunities at Krones.

A few weeks ago, our colleagues at Social Media and HR joined forces to venture into entirely new territory: information on training at Krones has since then been available over WhatsApp. “We’ve set up a number under which we can be reached by everyone who has a question about training at Krones. The other information channels are being retained, of course, but a WhatsApp or voice message is quite simply easier to send than a mail. We’re currently using the channel only for answering questions, so nobody has to worry about us deluging them with masses of content,” is how Franziska explains the concept. Questions sent to the 015154436908 end up directly with the right contact person in regard to training at Krones: which means Franziska and her colleague Laura Lehmann. The latter, by the way, can confirm that the initial weeks with the new channel have gone very well: “The number isn’t that well-known yet, of course, so we haven’t had huge quantities of inquiries so far. But what we find particularly gratifying is the fact that we’ve been getting very high-quality questions – meaning messages that communicate genuine interest and have validated our decision to continue using WhatsApp to answer questions.”