On the right track with team spirit

Hiking as a trainee event? What may sound dull at first glance quickly turned out to be an exciting event for our trainees in their day-to-day work. After all, there were lots of tasks waiting for the young people to promote team spirit among the trainees. We asked Nathalie Morenings what they experienced in a forest near Northeim.

Two teams at different starting points and the hiking map is with the other team. How did that work?

Nathalie: First, the apprentices from the first and second year were divided into two teams, which were to set off from different starting points in the forest. The trick was that the other team had the map! Our task was to give the other team directions for 30 seconds every five minutes using an old Nokia cell phone with limited functions. We had a common goal and that was to find each other again.

What were your highlights of the day?

Nathalie: For me personally, the hiking tasks were extremely exciting because they reflected teamwork. One task was to overcome a one-meter high obstacle without losing physical contact with each other. This required creativity to find a suitable solution on the one hand and trust in being caught by the other members on the other.

I thought about giving up several times, because the obstacle seemed impossible to overcome. Nevertheless, we were able to find a solution together and everyone was able to pass it successfully. That was a very valuable experience for me.

What expectations did you have of the event beforehand and were they met or perhaps even exceeded?

Nathalie: At first, we thought it was going to be a “simple” hike to Northeim. I already thought it was a great idea for a team-building event, but my expectations were exceeded. NEVO, the company responsible for our team event, did a great job designing the tasks and we really enjoyed solving them. After the hike and a short breather, we were divided into our apprentice groups. In my group, the first year of the apprenticeship, the focus was on our idea of collaboration at Arineo and what role we play in it. NEVO also took a playful approach to this topic, so we had a lot of fun: we first wrote down our ideas and then used Lego bricks to visualize and explain them. This allowed us to better express our own perspective and made it easier to understand the views of others. Our 15 corporate values were then taken up and we assigned our ideas to the values. Surprisingly, we were able to process this easily at that moment, because slowly but surely we have already internalized the values despite our short time at Arineo. I think that we have grown closer together as a team as a result.

Which topics or skills were particularly emphasized during the training and why are they useful for you as prospective IT specialists?

Nathalie: Teamwork is essential for prospective IT specialists. It’s not true that you’re a lone fighter in this profession and have to do everything on your own. We have to work together. Constructive communication is an essential part of this.

It is not a given that a group will work together harmoniously from the outset. Each member may have a different opinion. It is therefore important to communicate these differences of opinion openly and clearly so that a common denominator can be found. It is also important to trust your own team. At the moment in the forest when we were working on the obstacle task, I wanted to give up. The task seemed impossible to solve. But I’m glad that I didn’t give up in the end and that we supported and motivated each other to achieve a result. There will also be tasks in the future where I will think: “Oh dear, I definitely won’t be able to do this!”. When I then think back to our hike, I know that I don’t have to feel discouraged straight away, but can rely on the help of others. You’re never on your own, especially not with Arineo.