Brazilian service team is getting reinforcements

Before diving into the Brazilian training program, let’s have a look into the whole Krones’ service world. With currently over 2,600 service technicians it is quite big! Roughly five percent of those are based at Krones Brazil, supporting projects in Brazil and neighboring countries. “Although that may sound like a lot, we really need more people,” says Nathalia Godoy, HR Business Partner in the Latin America region. 

To be frank, it isn’t easy to find the right people. That is true not only in Brazil but worldwide. Potential service technicians not only have to have a comprehensive technical understanding. They must also be able to work independently and willing to travel a lot. “When you work in service, you and the on-site team are responsible for getting the line up and running on schedule – or, in the case of a production stoppage, for getting it back up and running as quickly as possible,” explains Birgit Hahn, who is responsible for Central Field Service as well as the Krones Academy group-wide.

Proven training concept for service techs worldwide

And so, like many other companies, Krones is always looking for talented, motivated people for its service teams. “Of course, when we do find someone, we don’t just throw them in at the deep end. We do our best to prepare them for the tasks ahead,” says Birgit Hahn. And for that, Krones has for several years now had a training program in place that all new service technicians worldwide complete as part of the onboarding process.

The program consists of training modules covering topics such as automation and electrical and mechanical systems as well as courses designed to build soft skills like foreign language competency, to ensure that new technicians are able to work on customer projects outside their home country. “The program tightly integrates in-house instruction with opportunities to apply their knowledge on customers’ equipment. Trainees learn and work either in our assembly halls or directly at construction sites – alongside experienced colleagues, of course, who show them the ropes, teaching and coaching them right on the actual machines. Continuing education through the Krones Academy is also part of the concept,” explains Hahn. At the start, these courses are taken at the respective local or regional centers, like Krones Brazil in São Paulo. Later, service technicians might come to Germany for training at our headquarters in Neutraubling. Depending on the field in which they’re specializing, participants will achieve what we call “Level 2” qualification after around three to four years. “At that point, they are able to work on, install and commission standard machines independently, without instruction,” explains Hahn.

Krones Experience: a new program for potential service technicians

But let’s return to Brazil. Besides the group-wide training program for service technicians who are Krones employees, we also launched a second offering at the start of this year that is focused on automation, for after-sales service. It is called “Krones Experience”. Unlike the existing program, this one is geared towards individuals who have not (yet) been hired by Krones, and it is all online. This program is only available to people who are not currently employed by Krones but are interested in joining our service team. It’s a sort of springboard to a later hiring – however, it is voluntary and unpaid and designed to be completed alongside university studies, an internship, or another job. The only requirements Krones has for participants are a basic technical understanding, interest in automation and excellent knowledge of Portuguese – because by now, the content is entirely in Brazil’s official language.

A one-year unpaid training program that has to be completed entirely during free time? It may sound like an unconventional approach. But it appears to have broad appeal, as the registration figures suggest: More than 2,000 individuals expressed an interest in the Krones Experience program, and over 400 ultimately registered on the platform following a preliminary screening. “What is striking is that more than half of the registrants are already working and want to add automation to their skill set, with Krones’ help,” says Nathalia Godoy. 

Modular concept combines e-learning and live sessions

To make that feasible for as many people as possible, Krones allows participants a great deal of freedom in managing their time. “Though we have set a general schedule, in reality it doesn’t matter if participants do the coursework after work, on weekends or during their semester breaks or holidays as long as they complete all of the content within the year,” says Nathalia Godoy. That is possible because the flexible course offerings consist largely of e-learning and prerecorded video sequences. “Occasionally the online content is complemented with live training sessions run by our trainers, in the evening or on weekends. It’s up to participants whether or not they join those,” she explains. 

The training itself covers three subject areas: The first phase is basic training in automation, in which students learn about all aspects of controls, programming and UI/UX design (which is short for “user interface / user experience”). This is followed by a second, more in-depth phase that includes practical examples from the field of drive technology. The final phase is dedicated to automation applications in the beverage industry. “We have tried to strike a balance in our content. We want participants to obtain general knowledge about the many aspects of automation and, at the same time, get some initial insights into our industry,” says Nathalia Godoy. “But we don’t use real examples from within our portfolio since participants are not employed at Krones.” Each phase includes several tests and three mini course assessments to check how well participants are learning the material. 

In 2025, Krones to hire 50 participants full time

Krones Experience is now past the halfway point, meaning that according to the model schedule, participants will have completed half of the content. “We are more than satisfied with the level of participation,” says Nathalia Godoy. “Right now, over 85 percent of the people in the program are on schedule.” If it stays at this level, at least 200 are expected to complete the course successfully in early 2025. “The program doesn’t provide an official degree or certificate,” says Nathalia Godoy. “But what’s far more important is the knowledge gained about all aspects of automation – because you can never have enough knowledge. It provides a great basis for later work as a service technician at Krones and can just as easily be applied to other industries like automotive.” 

And while we’re on the topic of career prospects: Some participants completing the program will continue on to the next round at Krones. “Fifty will get an employment contract with our service team. In other words, they will be regular Krones employees,” explains Nathalia Godoy. From the pool of program graduates, Krones will choose those who have done well in their assessments over the course of the year and those who bring the necessary qualifications.

Afterward: sprint through the existing training program

“For Krones Brazil, the program is a great opportunity in many respects,” says Nathalia Godoy. “It makes people aware of us as an employer, of our service jobs in particular. And at the same time, we can ensure that all future employees have the same basic knowledge about automation when they start work with us, so we know they’re ready to handle the challenges that come with the job.” 
For participants, too, there are many good reasons to complete the automation training: For one, they gain valuable knowledge and insights over the course of the year that will serve them well in their careers - without causing any costs for them! For another, there is the chance of a permanent employment contract with Krones’ service team. “Completing our one-year program is also of enormous value when it comes to later training within our service-technician qualification programs because it enables graduates to skip a couple of compulsory basic training courses and ultimately reach Level 2 almost twice as fast as most,” says Nathalia Godoy. 

Have we piqued your interest? Register now for round 2

It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. And because Krones Brazil has been more than satisfied with the current pilot group, the company plans to run a second round of Krones Experience next year. It will kick off in February 2025. Details will be published on the LinkedIn-channel of Krones do Brazil as soon as registration is possible.
And although the program would transfer wonderfully to other regions, it is currently only available in Brazil. It is not yet clear whether or when it might be expanded to other regions.