For six years, Ingeborg drove a truck until she decided to take a job as an operator in the hot strip mill.
"After 10 months I had moved on. Now I'm working on 1,200-degree furnaces!"
Ingeborg started at ArcelorMittal in the hot strip mill discharge department, but after a short training period she quickly progressed to a responsible job in pre-rolling. "I monitor the steel slabs coming out of the furnace and ensure they are rolled correctly. You have to pay close attention, keep an eye on many screens at the same time, and intervene quickly if something goes wrong. I gained that trust after only a short time."
She made the switch from truck driver to operator. "While loading and unloading here, I got talking to colleagues. The fixed hours, nice atmosphere and opportunities for advancement won me over. My home situation is better now thanks to the structure of shift work. With the truck, I never knew what time I would get home."
Fine atmosphere, no prejudices
Even after she started working there, Ingeborg could continue to count on support: "I was welcomed right away. The training I received from my various colleagues was also really nice. It wasn't too difficult, and they all explained things well. And I was immediately accepted into the group.
It's a big company, but I notice that you're not just a number. Even a manager from another department whom you don't see very often, you know by their first name. People here don't have any prejudices either. Anyone can apply for a job here. For example, I'm married to a woman and no one thinks that's strange. We really work in a pleasant atmosphere.
Opportunities
Ingeborg is far from finished growing. Her ambition? "To become a foreman. You really get that opportunity here: "Management supports you, your colleagues support you, which is great. You get a lot of opportunities here. It's not like you apply for a job and then stay there for your entire career. It really is a company where I want to continue working until I retire."
