Traditional commitment for the zoo in Worms continues
Worms, 4th October 2017. For many years now, the logistics provider Fiege and its location in the city of Worms have been supporting the local zoo. This year, too, numerous trainees participated in the restoration of the zoo’s compound. For several weeks, trainees coming from different fields – from classic supply chain professions to electronics technicians and IT specialists – become involved in different projects at the zoo as Corporate Volunteers. Michael Suden, Managing Director Business Unit Industry at Fiege in Worms, pledged his support in the form of offering multiple non-cash donations. The total amount of EUR 5,000 was invested in new working equipment, to make working on the Africa enclosure easier.
Trainees prepare for the construction of the Africa enclosure
This autumn, around 40 trainees as well as the training officers, Walter Schneider and Ronni Jankowski carried out important work in preparation of the construction of the Africa enclosure which is set to start in spring 2018. Together with resident staff at the zoo, they cleared and cleaned the conservatory near the enclosure for the baboons and removed all old metal fencing and posts. The glass panes can be dismantled soon.
This was a totally new experience for Charline Weinheimer. As a future office management clerk, handling machinery is not part of her usual office duties: “Doing this together with all the others is real fun.” And the good thing about this, according to Charline, is that one gets to spend time with other trainees, and to know them better, even across the different stages they have reached in their training. “And volunteering is extremely important to me”, she added. “Often, volunteering misses out in everyday life”, the 19-year old says while sweeping the glass building.
Fiege employees released from duties to volunteer
Another group of trainees helped with sprucing up the entrance section and filled the space for the bicycle stands with gravel. Even the enclosure for the ponies and donkeys was given a facelift, with the stables getting a complete new coat of paint. Training officer Jankowski was extremely pleased with the work of his protégés. “The young people really enjoy these activity days at the zoo. For them, it is a very different type of work. These are the very experiences that bond the trainees”, says Jankowski. Fiege has been sending out volunteers under its Corporate Volunteering programme for years and releases trainees of their duties so that they can assist at the zoo. In the end, all parties benefit from this: the zoo, but also the helpers who broaden their horizons.
Zoo manager Wilfried Adelfinger once again draws a positive outcome this year: “Working with the trainees is an enriching experience for everyone involved. Of course, the priority is to finish the work ahead, but for him as a training officer at the zoo it is also important to engage in an exchange with young people. “As a certified training enterprise we are happy to allow people to gain an insight into the diverse work at the zoo.” To ensure that the trainees do not miss out on too much fun, Adelfinger had organised a few animal highlights together with his team, such as feeding show animals, as a thank you.
