Name: Sebastian Anton
Year of birth: 1981
Function: Six Sigma Infrastructure, Accounting
Company: Celanese Chemicals
Location: Oberhausen site

Why did you choose to complete an apprenticeship at Celanese?

After graduating from high school, I felt that a university degree would be too theoretical and that an apprenticeship would not be enough for me. A combination of the two seemed to be just the right thing to me. At Celanese, I was offered the chance to pursue both tracks at the same time. The company’s size as well as the fact that it is an international company were what significantly influenced my decision.

Can you still remember your first day?

We were met by the heads of human resources and the plant and introduced to our trainers. After touring the plant, we visited the different departments, which gave us an impression of the departments we would be training in.

Can you briefly describe how the apprenticeship was organized?

I was rotated to a different department every 1-2 months (from Materials to Finance and Accounting to Production Planning and Evaluation). This rotation gave me the chance to become acquainted with all functions in the company.The highlight of my apprenticeship was the four weeks I spent in the marketing department of the Oxo Business Line/ Supply Chain in Frankfurt/Kronberg I especially enjoyed the international flair of working there.

Two years after I started, I took the final exam administered by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for my degree as a commercial clerk specialized in industry. While I was doing my apprenticeship, I attended college lectures on Wednesday and Friday evenings and on Saturdays to earn my degree in computer science.

Would you recommend this type of training to others?

I have to admit that this type of training is pretty tough, but also really attractive because you can complete an apprenticeship as well as earn a degree in a short amount of time. If you are ambitious and disciplined, you can handle it.

What are you career goals? Are you planning a career at Celanese?

First, I want to focus on finishing my degree and writing my thesis. At the present time, there is such change underway that it is really hard to position or orient yourself. I think it would be great if I could apply what I have learned in my apprenticeship and while earning my degree to a business-related job at Celanese.