Young talent for a traditional craft
Watchmakers graduate from Glashütte Original's "Alfred Helwig" School of Watchmaking
Now
over 170 years old, the Glashütte art of watchmaking welcomes new
talents with open arms: summer temperatures on Thursday, 12 July 2018,
accompanied 22 watch experts as they celebrated the completion of their
studies at Glashütte Original's "Alfred Helwig" School of watchmaking.
Management and teachers at the school awarded them diplomas and
congratulated the graduating class, the majority of whom were young
women. The up and coming experts didn't rest on their laurels for long:
most of them began work the next day at Glashütte Original.
The
Saxon watch manufactory Glashütte Original dedicated Thursday July 12th,
2018 entirely to the next generation of watchmakers: 22 graduates of
the company's "Alfred Helwig" School of Watchmaking celebrated the
successful conclusion of their studies in the atrium of the manufactory.
Along with fifteen female and seven male watchmakers, two toolmakers
accepted congratulations from their families, friends, representatives
of Glashütte Original, teachers and former students. The watchmakers had
completed their studies in three years, the toolmakers in three and a
half.
Training at the Alfred Helwig School of Watchmaking
This
year's graduates have already provided ample evidence, during their
studies, of their talent, exceptional manual dexterity and sense of
tradition and innovation in their craft. Every year since 2001 Glashütte
Original has trained watchmakers and toolmakers at its “Alfred Helwig”
watchmaking school. Students at the modern, well-equipped training
institute acquire the very highest level of skills in these two
tradition-rich professions.
In the process, the teachers ensure
that the students learn how to make the tiniest movement components,
comprehend complex mechanical relationships and gain an appreciation of
the effort, precision and value that the manufactory dedicates to even
the minutest of details. Along with theoretical knowledge, the
curriculum offers a number of opportunities for students to gain insight
into the practice of their trade. During their apprenticeship they
participate in a variety of internships in selected assembly and
customer service areas at the manufactory in Glashütte.
As a
world-renowned watch brand, Glashütte Original places particular
emphasis on international standards of education in the field – a fact
underscored by its partnership, unique in Germany, with the Swiss
watchmaking school, WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and
Educational Program). Thanks to this arrangement, students graduating
from the “Alfred Helwig” School of Watchmaking may also sit the WOSTEP
final exams and earn, in addition to the German skilled worker
certificate, the WOSTEP diploma. As part of their training programme,
students are also given the opportunity to make a so-called “school
watch” – a project as exciting as it is instructive, as it allows the
students to apply their theoretical knowledge to the actual practice of
watchmaking.