Ein Blick in den Alltag eines Logistik-Lernenden bei Meier Logistik

Meriton, a logistics apprentice, gave us an insight into his day-to-day work at Meier Logistik. In a conversation with us, he described the wide range of tasks and challenges involved in his apprenticeship as a logistics specialist (EFZ) in the warehouse.

Meriton starts every day by taking out the rubbish and getting his forklift ready. His main tasks involve picking goods, packing them and taking them to the relevant loading bays. Staff are assigned specific loading bays each day. As well as picking and packing, Meriton is also responsible for cleaning the warehouse and loading the goods at the end of the day.

First comes goods receipt, when goods from other sites or from abroad arrive at the warehouse. The items are recorded to update the stock levels. Orders can then be placed. The logistics staff check and pick the delivery notes. Once the goods have been located, they are packed and the goods dispatch is recorded. Meriton organises his working day by sorting the delivery notes according to how time-consuming the tasks are. In this way, he completes the simpler tasks first, so that he can then turn his attention to the more complex challenges. Every employee is responsible for planning and organising their own day. Meriton emphasises that good organisation and the ability to quickly remember where specific goods are located are crucial skills for success in the logistics sector.

Safety in the warehouse is a top priority in order to minimise potential hazards. There are clear regulations that all staff must adhere to. These include wearing the prescribed workwear, which is provided by supervisors. Steel-toed boots are essential for preventing injuries, particularly in areas where heavy objects could suddenly fall. Caution must also be exercised when operating a forklift to prevent accidents. Meriton must ensure all these measures are followed. Failure to comply with these safety regulations may result in a warning for employees.

As early as his first year of apprenticeship, Meriton successfully passed his forklift truck test as part of the inter-company training course (ÜK), which lasted three days and, in his opinion, was quite straightforward.

In the first year of their apprenticeship, apprentices mainly work alongside staff, providing support in the office and moving goods around the warehouse. The second year marks the point at which they can start working independently. In the third year, the routine remains similar to that of the second year, but with greater responsibility, as they have gained a great deal of experience in the previous years.

The logistics apprenticeship also involves shift work. The early shift starts at 06.00 and ends at 15.45, the middle shift runs from 07.00 to 16.45 and the late shift from 08.00 to 17.45. Meriton mentions that early shifts are quite rare for apprentices, whilst middle and late shifts are more common. The middle shift lasts for two weeks, whilst the late shift lasts for one week.

Meriton admits that he finds school difficult during his apprenticeship, as the theoretical content does not always relate to his day-to-day work and he therefore struggles to understand the topics. In the Logistics EFZ apprenticeship, the subjects ABU (General Education), Technical Knowledge and Vocational Studies are on the curriculum. Meriton has school every Thursday this year, although the days of the week change from year to year. Logistics apprentices only have one school day per week. The apprenticeship lasts a total of three years, and the final examinations take place in the third year of the apprenticeship.