Lufthansa Technik has opened a new training center for engine mechanics in Germany which aims to train 1,000 new employees by 2027.

The center was opened on Monday (Feb. 20) in the Rahlstedt district of Hamburg, which is home to LHT’s headquarters. 

LHT confirmed an investment of €7.5 million ($8 million) in the center, which will train approximately 376 people this year many of whom will be able to take on independent tasks in the workshops after just four to six months.

The center will train people from technical or craft apprenticeship background, with LHT citing examples of people who were originally trained as carpenters, automotive mechanics or dental technicians eventually being qualified to repair commercial aircraft engines. 

As part of the training process, applicants will initially undertake theory lessons carried out LHT’s training arm before moving onto the required practical training units. 

The practical training units, which will be overseen by a team of eight trainers, include acquiring knowledge of metal processing (including grinding, drilling, milling), disassembly/assembly of engine modules and learning the basics of engine parts repair with three CFM56 training engines being available. LHT says a newer Leap engine will be added as a training engine soon. 

 Training is carried out in German and in English, a move which LHT says is aimed at attracting international applicants.

Post crisis, LHT says demand for its products and services are increasing which in turns ensures a greater supply of manpower is needed in the workforce. “Our engine shops in Hamburg are also filling up again, and we need many highly qualified and motivated mechanics,” says Harald Gloy, chief operating officer and chief human resources officer at Lufthansa Technik. 

“The modern training center offers the ideal conditions for bringing lateral entrants quickly and efficiently up to the high level of qualification that our customers expect from us.”

Michael Kirstein, VP operations engine services at Lufthansa Technik, says the company’s experience of on-the-job training in the workshop being time-consuming and impacting operational processes influenced its decision to establish the training center. 

“That's why we decided to set up our own qualification center for the further qualification of people who already have a technical training,” he says. “In this way, we are able to integrate our new colleagues into the workshops quickly and with the best possible preparation.”