The latest edition of our company’s „Snackbox“ podcast welcomes Marvin Ramos as its guest: Marvin has been an apprenticeship instructor at Thomas for almost a year and recently took over as head of vocational training.
The qualified Industrial Electronics Technician looks back on his own apprenticeship. He recalls having traveled the world as a mechanical engineer before joining the Thomas team about eight years ago, familiarizing himself with the topic of maintenance, and finally seizing the opportunity to become an instructor. It turned out to be a wise decision, because passing on knowledge – as the podcast reveals – is a role he relishes.
The topic of „Training 4.0“ has become central to Marvin’s day-to-day work, the focus being on how to shape vocational training in tune with the times. He has come up with two answers: first, the process of learning and acquiring new skills should become more digital. Marvin has already launched a pilot project with iPads for four vocational trainees.
Secondly, he has redefined the relationship between instructor and trainee. He knows from his own experience how formative the interaction between trainer and trainee is for young people. And Marvin is of the firm belief that „strict teachers“ no longer fit the times. Instead, it is important to adapt to the needs of young people, to engage with them on an equal footing, and to create an environment of fear-free learning.
„I think what makes us appealing is that we are very well attuned to Gen Z. We look at what this generation needs, what is important to them,“ says Marvin. He points to the High Striker project (strength tester machine) to illustrate the success of this approach and show that learning can actually be fun. It was set up in a joint effort by vocational trainees working in the fields of industrial mechanics, electronics, and IT.
In addition to discussing the business side of things, our podcast will also take a look at the person behind the microphone. How does Marvin like to relax after a stressful day’s work? Does he also listen to podcasts? How did he discover home beer brewing? Above all, what does he prefer to snack on – sweet or savory? The best thing is to find out for yourself!