Are you about to finish school or have you already graduated and are wondering what’s next? At Umicore, you’ll find a variety of opportunities to kick-start your career and discover the path that’s right for you.
Whether you choose an apprenticeship, a dual study program or want to gain your first insights through a school internship, you’ll be involved from day one. You’ll take on responsibility, contribute your ideas and become part of a team where collaboration is at the heart of everything we do.
With courage, curiosity and the support of experienced colleagues, you’ll have the opportunity to try new things, grow beyond yourself and build a strong foundation for your future career. Together, we create solutions, learn from one another and take the next step with you.
Every person has different strengths, talents, preferences and goals. It is therefore a good thing that the chemical industry offers so many different types of apprenticeships. This allows you to choose the apprenticeship that suits you best.
They all have one thing in common: Our apprenticeships are exciting and offer a wide range of opportunities for your future career.
Below you will find an overview of the apprenticeships we offer at our German locations.
A dual study programme gives you the opportunity to combine your studies with a practical education. A close cooperation between the university and the company ensures a state-of-the-art and practice-oriented education.
The dual study programme is a worthwhile option as it allows you to gain practical experience in the working world while swotting, to learn entrepreneurial thinking and scientific work methods, to build contacts in your host company, and to experience close support in small study groups.
We offer one to three-week internships in laboratory and production-related areas as well as in various commercial areas. f you are at least 14 years old, you can apply for a work experience internship during your school holidays or during the career exploration phase of your school.
You can apply via our job portal. For your application, please prepare a cover letter stating the precise period during which you would like to complete an internship at Umicore and the field you are interested in. In addition, we require a CV and the last two school reports.
What talents do you have?
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Planning of testing procedures
- Setting up the equipment necessary for it
- Operating fittings, metric and control equipment
- Maintaining production machinery
- Testing materials using computer-aided analytical equipment
- Evaluating and documenting test results
- Compliance with quality assurance, occupational safety and environmental protection requirements
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3.5 years
- The apprenticeship period may be shortened
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) or general certificate of secondary education/entrance qualification for technical college (Mittlere Reife/Fachoberschulreife)
- Understanding of science, diligence and technical skills
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Operating and maintaining production plants
- Monitoring and documenting work steps for manufacturing and processing
- Filling, monitoring and cleaning of chemical plants
- Environmentally responsible waste disposal
- Compliance with work safety and environmental protection requirements
Duration of apprenticeship
- 2 years
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) with a focus on science and technical subjects
- Technical comprehension, manual dexterity, and responsible work ethic
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Planning of testing procedures
- Setting up the equipment necessary for it
- Creating organic and inorganic preparations
- Separating mixtures of substances
- Testing materials using computer-aided analytical equipment
- Evaluating and documenting test results
- Compliance with quality assurance, occupational safety and environmental protection
- requirements
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3.5 years
- The apprenticeship period may be shortened
Requirements
- Good general secondary certificate (Realschulabschluss) or advanced vocational certificate (Fachabitur) or general university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- Understanding of science, diligence and technical skills
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Measuring physical and electrical variables
- Reading, inspecting and correcting wiring and functional diagrams
- Developing, assembling and programming automated systems
- Using test systems and diagnostic software
- Evaluating and documenting test results
- Compliance with quality assurance, occupational safety and environmental protection requirements
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3.5 years
- The apprenticeship period may be shortened
Requirements
- Minimum: Good general certificate of secondary education (Mittlere Reife) or entrance qualification for technical college (Fachoberschulreife) or general university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- Interest in technical, mathematical and physical contexts, manual dexterity, diligent and concentrated working as well as enjoying working in a team
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Commercial processing in departments such as Procurement and Provisioning,
- Production Management, Marketing and Operational Management and Controlling
- Working in multidisciplinary project teams
- Using new media such as business management software
- Communication with international clients.
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3 years
Requirements
- Good general certificate of secondary education (Mittlere Reife) with mathematics, German and English as special subjects
- Negotiation skills, enjoying interacting with people, enjoying organizing and ability to work in a team
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Installing, maintaining and repairing production plants and machinery
- Programming work instructions in the electronics systems of the machinery
- Using various state-of-the-art measuring instruments for quality control.
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3.5 years
- The apprenticeship period may be shortened
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) or general certificate of secondary education (Mittlere Reife) with a focus on mathematics, physical science and technical subjects
- Mechanical understanding, manual dexterity and ability to work in a team
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- How machines are set up and how to operate them
- Manual manufacturing techniques using tools
- Operating automated machines
- Maintaining machinery including cleaning and exchange of defective parts.
Duration of apprenticeship
- 2 years
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) with a focus on technical subjects
- Technical understanding, manual dexterity and ability to work in a team
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- How machines are set up and how to operate them
- Manual manufacturing techniques using tools
- Operating automated machines
- Maintaining machinery including cleaning and exchange of defective parts
Duration of apprenticeship
- 2 years
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) with a focus on science and technical subjects
- Technical understanding, manual dexterity and ability to work in a team
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Measuring physical and electrical variables
- Reading, inspecting and correcting wiring and functional diagrams
- Designing, assembling, and programming systems
- Using test systems and diagnostic software
- Evaluating and documenting test results
- Compliance with quality assurance and occupational safety requirements
Duration of apprenticeship
- 2 years
- The apprenticeship period may be shortened
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss)
- Good knowledge of mathematics, manual dexterity, interest in technical and physical contexts, ability to work diligently and with concentration, enjoy working in a team
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Processing metallic materials and plastics
- Operating machines, equipment and plants
- Planning, controlling and monitoring processing methods of plastics
- Setting up and testing pneumatic and hydraulic circuits.
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3 years
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) or general certificate of secondary education (Mittlere Reife) with a focus on mathematics, physical science and technical subjects
- Technical understanding, manual dexterity and ability to work in a team
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Preparation of production processes
- Quality testing of products
- Material purchasing: Creation of orders, bookings and invoices
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3 years
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) or general certificate of secondary education (Mittlere Reife)
- Good mathematical and technical comprehension, and ability to work in a team
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Knowledge of coating surfaces with metals, such as gold-plating using chemical processes
- Basic knowledge of metallurgy
- Environmentally responsible handling of sewage water, exhaust air and materials
- Working with and handling of chemicals
- Process control and quality assurance
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3 years
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) or general certificate of secondary education (Mittlere Reife) with a focus on chemistry, physics and maths
- Manual dexterity as well as precise and responsible working
Apprenticeship profile
During your apprenticeship you will learn the following:
- Proper packaging and loading of goods
- Handling complex warehousing systems
- Driving and operating fork lifts safely
- Communicating with international suppliers and documentation
- Compliance with quality assurance and occupational safety requirements.
Duration of apprenticeship
- 3 years
Requirements
- Good general school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss)
Education profile
During your dual study programme, you will get insights in the following areas:
- Production logistics, materials management, purchasing
- Marketing and sales
- Controlling, cost accounting, accounting, taxation, investment and financing
- HR management and organisation
- Information management
- International business administration
- The study part takes place at the Duale Hochschule Baden Württemberg (Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University). During the practical semesters, you will work in the company. Graduates of a business degree programme are expected to have sound, university-level knowledge of the essential areas of business management.
Duration of the program
- 6 semesters
Requirements
- Advanced vocational certificate of education (fachgebundene Hochschulreife) or general university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- Understanding of business administration
- Excellent proficiency in German and English
- Mathematical and analytical thinking and approach
- Eloquence and good manners
- Confident demeanour
- Ability to work in a team
- Ability to solve problems, and creativity
Education profile
During your dual study programme, you will get insights in the following fields:
- Company-specific programming of control systems
- Testing of software and hardware, and subsequent implementation
- Independent project planning, controlling and completion
- Compliance with quality assurance, occupational safety and environmental protection requirements
- The degree programme usually alternates between practical phases of three months at our Rheinfelden operations and three months of studies at Duale Hochschule Baden Württemberg (Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University) in Lörrach. During the practical phases, you will work in the in the Operational Excellence team of the Technology Department.
In the theoretical phase, you will learn about the basics of electrical engineering and related mathematics in addition to digital engineering, computer science and physics. Special contents about electronics and especially automation will follow later.
Duration of the program
- 6 semesters
Requirements
- Advanced vocational certificate of education (fachgebundene Hochschulreife) or general university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- High level of technical and scientific understanding as well as logical thinking skills
- Flexibility and creativity, independence, proactivity and a confident demeanour
- Good proficiency in English
Education profile
During your dual study programme, you will get insights in the following fields:
- Get to know the latest software development methods and their applications
- Independently design and develop software solutions and implement them in IT projects
- Handling of complex data volumes
- Independent project planning, controlling and completion
- Observing quality assurance, occupational safety and environmental protection
Duration of the apprenticeship
- 6 semesters
Requirements
- General university entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife)
- Basic technical knowledge and abstract thinking skills
- Flexibility, creativity, sense of responsibility and reliability as well as independence, proactivity and a confident demeanour
- Good proficiency in English
Benefits of Umicore's Apprenticeships & Dual Study Programs
- Apprenticeship pay according to the chemical industry pay scale
- Best prospects of being offered a permanent position
- 30 days leave
- In-house instruction and exam preparation
- Commute allowance / job ticket
- Learning platforms and tablets
- Cafeteria with meal allowance
- Regular apprentice events
