Training and Professional Development

HHLA invested a total of € 4.5 million in educating and training staff from its locations in Hamburg in 2016 (previous year: € 5.4 million).

Vocational Training and Studying

As of 31 December 2016, 77 apprentices and 20 students were receiving training in Germany in ten different professions and nine dual study courses. 28 % of the 97 apprentices and students were female. The ratio of female students in 2016 was 50 % (previous year: 42 %).

All of the 40 apprentices (of which nine were on dual study courses) who successfully completed their training in the course of the year were given contracts. A total of 26 new apprentices were taken on at the company’s Hamburg facilities in 2016, 31 % of whom were women. Four of the six places offered for dual study courses were awarded to women in 2016. At the start of the 2016 academic year, 30 % of blue-collar apprentices were women.

Cooperation agreements with technical colleges and specialised grammar schools were further intensified to maintain a steady flow of suitable candidates for professions with a focus on mathematics, IT, science and technology. Internships were offered to students studying technical professions in particular. The careers in which the company offers apprenticeships are presented at training fairs and schools by the respective departments with the aid of current apprentices. In 2016, the company participated in ten fairs in the greater Hamburg area.

Together with other Hamburg-based companies, HHLA is participating in the AvM Dual pilot project initiated by Hamburger Ausbildungszentrum e.V. (HAZ) to prepare immigrants for vocational training. HHLA played a key role in the development of the concept, which represents a pioneering and goal-oriented approach to integrating refugees into technical vocational training. The project is a response to both the social and civil responsibility to integrate refugees as well as the challenge of finding suitable applicants for technically demanding skilled jobs. In addition to classroom training, the concept includes three internship phases until August 2018. The young immigrants also receive support from specially trained apprentices at the participating companies.

Training and Qualification

Over 700 events lasting one or more days were held in the reporting period. These included over 600 internal vocational courses conducted by HHLA’s own trainers over 2,335 training days. In addition, more than 100 one to several day events with 1,800 participant days were organised as part of the company’s cross-segment seminar programme. As in the previous year, approximately 40 % of participants were female.

HHLA’s internal seminars are designed to develop the professional, methodical and social skills of specialists and managers. All internal seminars are open to staff from various departments and companies. These seminars also help foster an understanding of the diverse tasks, roles and functions in the Group’s various business fields.