Fronius apprentices sample the delights of Norway

The majority of apprentices complete their training in central Europe. However, third-year electrical apprentices Julia Springer, Alexander Kaiblinger and Emre Güneruz had the opportunity to do something a bit different. They all gained their international experience in the Norwegian town of Hammerfest - the most northerly town in Europe.

The Scandinavian work experience scheme came about following a visit to Austria by Andrei Holtmann. Andrei, Managing Director of Langset Nord AS, a company from the metalworking sector, is a self-confessed fan of Fronius welding devices, and as such he was happy to host a three-week placement.

The three apprentices started at Langset and took part in a two-day metalworking workshop. "Drilling, bending and welding have virtually nothing to do with our future careers as electricians, but it was extremely interesting to see Fronius products in action", added Julia and Emre.

Apart from Langset, the three were also able to visit other businesses in the area like Hammerfest Energi, Hammerfest Maritime Service and the Statoil liquid natural gas plant on the island of Melkøya, just off the coast of Hammerfest.

"The three weeks in Scandinavia were amazing. We can all see ourselves working abroad again when we've completed our training", was the unanimous conclusion. The cultural exchange was also highly enriching - despite being a small town, the 10,000 population of Hammerfest includes representatives from 65 countries.