Every year, AS Valmieras stikla šķiedra and its subsidiary company Valmiera Glass UK Ltd provide practical training opportunities for students from educational institutions and universities. In addition, there are plans for the Valmiera Glass USA Corp. plant that was established this year to start providing such training in the very near future.
Students have provided very positive feedback concerning this training, and we are also proud to share our knowledge with future professionals. In recent years, the number of trainees has increased signifi cantly, and they now include students from different universities, majors and even countries.
Linda Kosmol, a trainee at Valmiera Glass UK Ltd from Dresden University of Technology, says: ‘Practical training at Valmiera Glass UK Ltd gave me an understanding of business and manufacturing processes. It was a great opportunity to get a glimpse of the everyday work of the company’s various departments, as well as to be involved in preparing different projects that allowed me to accumulate a strong knowledge base for my future profession. I have acquired invaluable international working experience for which I am thankful to the team of Valmiera Glass UK Ltd.’
Agnese Kokareviča from Riga Technical University notes: ‘I chose practical training at AS Valmieras stikla šķiedra because I major in international economic relations. The company itself is international and one of Latvia’s true export brands. I obtained knowledge about the company and its economic significance in the development of the Vidzeme Region. I was also given an opportunity to take part in an efficiency project that involved cooperation with a professional team from Germany. I gained invaluable knowledge about the optimisation of manufacturing processes, increasing efficiency, the technological process of developing fibre glass and the operation of the company in general.’
Doloresa Volkopa, a member of the Board of AS Valmieras stikla šķiedra and Chief Human Resources Officer, stresses that the Valmiera Glass Group is interested in preparing young professionals: ‘Our staff are responsive and in addition to their primary duties, they undertake to train young professionals; however, no one can be taught with force – one should desire to learn. Therefore, I would like to mention that a student must have an appetite for practical skills instead of a passive attitude. The more interest young professionals show during their practical training, the easier it
is for them to compete in the labour market afterwards.’
After graduating, many former trainees are employed by AS Valmieras stikla šķiedra. Linards Tenters, a graduate of the Mechatronics Study Programme at Vidzeme University College, is now working as a mechatronics systems technician at AS Valmieras stikla šķiedra: ‘I certainly support the idea of practical in-house training in companies, because it is the only way to truly understand the manufacturing processes and their organisation. It is here where I discovered the broad and diverse range of technical sciences. Such training provides the possibility to complement the theoretical knowledge obtained at school by getting involved on a practical level.’
Photo: Linards Tenters, a former trainee currently working as a mechatronics systems technician at AS Valmieras stikla šķiedra's fibre glass plant.