DACHSER focuses on training to build strong workforce

DACHSER CEO Bernhard Simon firmly believes that “to provide excellent logistics, you need excellent employees—and at all levels.” “A company’s success is always determined by people as they’re the ones who deliver the quality.” The family-owned company has always placed great value on training its staff. At the start of the new training year, more than 740 future logistics specialists started working at DACHSER’s German branches. They’ll be training either in commercial or in operational areas of the business and 38 of them are completing a dual work-study program with DACHSER.

Currently, DACHSER has a total of more than 1,860 trainees and students across Germany. The company aims to employ the junior logistics specialists on a permanent basis once they have completed their training. It’s not uncommon for people to work at the company for a long time: in Germany, for example, out of around 16,300 employees, over 10 percent have been at the company for more than 20 years.

At DACHSER’s head office in Kempten, 30 young people started their careers on September 1.  Nine dual-business administration students majoring in logistics, four freight forwarding and logistics specialists,  five office management specialists and twelve IT-focused young professionals started training at DACHSER in Kempten as apprentices or dual-study students. Among the seven students in IT, three come from the Game Engineering course at Kempten University of Applied Sciences for the first time. With 430 employees in Kempten, the logistics provider is one of the largest IT employers in the Allgäu region of Germany.

Starting in 2020, DACHSER IT will expand its range of training opportunities to include training for IT specialists in application development, IT specialists in systems integration and IT management assistants. More than 1,360 employees currently work at DACHSER Head Office in Kempten. Over 730 DACHSER employees worldwide are responsible for ensuring high-performance IT.

Logistics operatives create at least half of DACHSER’s value, which is why the family-owned company places a strong focus on this occupational group. “The logistics industry is struggling more and more to attract enough qualified workers,” says Simon. “It’s our duty to inspire people to work in this exciting industry, but also to retain them.”

DACHSER carried out an extensive project to develop a concept specifically aimed at logistics operatives. “First we held in-depth discussions with our colleagues in operational areas and asked them about their needs and expectations of us as an employer,” says Vera Weidemann, Head of Corporate Human Resources at DACHSER. “The outcome is helping us to ensure that we attract the right employees, motivate them to stay with the company, and give them the appreciation they deserve.” Weidemann is therefore delighted that 335 apprentices have currently opted to pursue a career in operational roles at DACHSER in Germany. They will train to work in warehouse logistics operatives, professional truck drivers, or warehouse clerks.

DACHSER is also working hard to attract new truck drivers. Although DACHSER employs only a very small number of its own drivers, its subsidiary DACHSER Service und Ausbildungs GmbH trains and develops truck drivers in collaboration with independent subcontractors, and supports them on their journey to becoming self-employed. As a new training year starts, 112 prospective drivers are starting out across Germany, where DACHSER is training 251 professional drivers in total.

DACHSER USA offers comprehensive internships that shape supply chain and logistics careers

DACHSER USA is committed to continuously developing comprehensive training programs through internships that provide real-world, hands-on experience and shape the careers of young professionals as well as serve as a strong foundation for growth.

For more than a decade, DACHSER USA has been offering hands-on experience through domestic and international internships to those pursuing a career in logistics. DACHSER’s interns acquire first-hand knowledge through a multi-tiered program that introduces various aspects of the business, ensuring a well-rounded and impactful experience.

Working with five colleges and universities, DACHSER interns have gained experience at different US offices, including Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis, Boston, and Charlotte. The DACHSER USA team collaborates with its colleagues headquartered in Germany to provide international interns with the opportunity to work in the New York and Atlanta offices.

“As a family-owned business, DACHSER strongly believes in building the right teams and treating team members well. We develop robust internship programs to encourage young talented professionals to not only pursue a career in logistics, but also to pursue a career with DACHSER,” said Vincent Touya, Managing Director, DACHSER USA.