“Those who don’t take a risk only stand to lose”

After finishing school, Mirko Jäger wanted to become a process mechanic for glass and plastics technology. But things first took a different course – he completed an apprenticeship in the field of precast concrete-parts manufacturing. Over the course of his professional life, he would assume a number of different roles, from working in a glass factory to driving a semi-truck for a trucking company. Later he worked for a construction company for five years doing “almost everything,” from pouring concrete to operating the excavator. But in construction, work days are shorter during the winter. So the young father began to long for a “secure and family-friendly industrial job.” When he was 32 years old, an acquaintance told him about a position for lateral recruits at Röchling Medical in the town of Neuhaus. That was in 2014. “I didn’t get my hopes up, but I simply applied anyway,” says Mirko Jäger. He met with success. In February 2015, he was one of six people to begin the two six-month courses aimed at training lateral recruits to become machine and equipment operators. “Those who don’t take a risk can only lose.” That’s his motto. And it’s done right by him.

High praise for his instructors

“From the beginning my goal was to get through to the end successfully,” he continues. In August 2015, Mirko Jäger completed the course with really high marks – and was soon employed thereafter. With a permanent contract. And he sings high praises for his instructors.

Until the end of 2018, Mirko Jäger was employed as a machine operator in Production Departments 2 and 3 in Neuhaus in the areas responsible for extrusion blow moulding, injection moulding and injection blowing. What is it about his job that fascinates him? “Working in this cleanroom environment – it’s a completely different world,” he says. “There are many regulations and a high level of technical effort that go into the production of this small, seemingly unremarkable container in the CCO area.” With great interest he’s been following the construction of the CCO production area’s new building. The visit to the customer Boehringer Ingelheim leaves behind a positive impression.

From trainee to trainer

From January 2018 to February 2019, he was team lead in the CCO production area. And as of a few weeks ago, Mirko Jäger has been a trainer himself. “In my role as a machine operator, I always enjoyed teaching and supporting my new colleagues,” he says, thinking back. “Now I’d like to share my knowledge and skills at all levels and work more closely with our service technicians to further improve our processes and procedures.”

Much gratitude

From technical training in Austria as well as here in Neuhaus, to leadership training, training in Neuberger cleanroom monitoring, training at the cleanroom academy and GMP, as well as a cooperation with Boehringer Ingelheim in the CCO production area – Mirko Jäger is very grateful for the continuing-education and qualification measures at Röchling. “I definitely won’t ever pass up the opportunity to develop myself further,” he says. He looks forward to his current task of “training new lateral recruits ‘on the job’ in our very specialized department and to develop them into reliable employees who have a solid grasp of all our production requirements.” And he’s already right at the heart of the action.