Trainees get involved
Carry out projects independently and across departments.
Training? Of course at Bode!
At Bode Naturkost, we offer a wide range of training paths. In five different occupational fields we train people for: Clerks in wholesale and foreign trade management, IT specialists for application development as well as for system integration all the way to Clerks for freight forwarding and logistics services as well as for Specialist warehouse workers.
All trainees go through all departments during their training, from logistics to marketing, as well as quality assurance and goods purchasing and sales. In this way, everyone gains a comprehensive insight into internal processes as well as international and domestic tradeinsight into the internal processes as well as international and domestic trade. This develops commercial skills and builds social and professional competencies. In addition, it becomes clear how important communication and collaboration are, and this makes teamwork much easier.
Take a look here at our current job openings.
trainee project team
Another valuable part of the apprenticeship at Bode Naturkost is working together in an apprentice project team. This is a team in which all trainees in the company, from logistics and administration, work together on a project basis. This gives the trainees broad insight across departments. They take full responsibility together for handling major projects, which are initiated directly by management. This can involve product development, presenting a topic on the website, or a campaign for customers. To this end, the newcomers meet once a week and define goals and how to achieve them. Each member gets their own task and regularly takes on roles such as discussion leader and note taker. Depending on the situation, meetings and communication can take place either in person or digitally.
Meet our energetic trainees here:
Diyar Asif began his apprenticeship as a clerk in wholesale and foreign trade management in August 2024:
“From the very first day, my colleagues gave me a warm welcome. It was exciting and insightful to have the chance to get a feel for all departments. I enjoy coming to work every morning because I am never alone with my tasks. The sense of community here is strong, and everyone is willing to support you with questions or challenges. What I particularly appreciate is the focus on team building. The efforts to create a harmonious working environment are clearly noticeable and helped me feel like part of the team very quickly. I am looking forward to the time ahead at Bode Naturkost.”
Richmond has been a permanent part of our apprentice team since February 2023. After successfully completing his training as a specialist in warehouse logistics, he is now training as an IT specialist for system integration:
“My brother inspired me back then to pursue an apprenticeship in warehouse logistics. The colleagues in the warehouse welcomed me with open arms when I started and always support me with everything!”
After successfully shortening my apprenticeship in the logistics department, I decided to fulfill one of my childhood dreams and train as an IT specialist for system integration.
“Bode did not hesitate to give me this great opportunity. I was given a very warm welcome in my new department, IT. Every time I am impressed by the willingness to explain complicated topics to me. I call it ‘learning by doing.’ From day one, I was given responsibility, and whenever necessary, I received active guidance to ensure that I produced high-quality work.”
Lars Awuley Lartey began his apprenticeship as a clerk in wholesale and foreign trade management at the end of 2022:
Since the start of my apprenticeship, I have gotten to know my profession as a wholesaler and foreign trade clerk in many different facets. With my communication and organizational strengths, I feel like I have truly found my place in the profession and can use these skills, among other things, in dealing with customers. Because of the rotation through different departments, I get to know the work-relevant interfaces particularly well, and I take away all the relevant aspects I need in order to work independently as a specialist. What I find especially interesting is the focus on sustainability—not only in relation to the goods, but also in relation to our business partners and customers, with whom I am in daily contact. My team supports me at all times and helps me make the best of the challenges of my working day. With a similarly positive feeling, I also get to work on new projects with the apprentice group every week and exchange ideas, which for me is also an opportunity to contribute my own ideas. The team supports me in this, and I am able to achieve personal successes, such as most recently when I led our Christmas project.
What do former trainees say about the apprenticeship?
Wholesale and foreign trade management clerk:
“Alongside the move I made at the start of my training, Bode Naturkost offered me the perfect opportunity to start over in Hamburg. A warm welcome at the company and the harmonious teamwork rounded off, in my view, an all-round positive working environment. Open communication, independence, and flexibility keep motivation high every day and directly encourage self-reliant ways of working. Motivating project formats quickly teach both personal responsibility and independent engagement with a range of topics, and even in difficult situations you can always count on support.”
Shipping and logistics services clerk:
“Before that, I worked in the warehouse at Bode Naturkost for six years. Due to physical limitations, I was given the opportunity to reorient myself. I would describe the open communication between us trainees and management as a kind of ‘small family.’ My trainer not only has an open ear for my professional problems, but also for my private ones. If you asked me why I like being a trainee here, I could answer in just one word: TOGETHERNESS!”
Wholesale and foreign trade management clerk:
“After a few detours in my career path, I eventually landed at Bode for my training and immediately felt like part of the diverse team. You are quickly fully integrated into your department and appreciated, and as a trainee you soon get your first own tasks and projects. There is no need to worry about boredom here! In addition, Bode has been willing from day one to support my strengths and potential, not only in everyday work but also on other occasions. That way, I was able to enroll in a bilingual vocational school class, take part in internal and external training courses, and will also be able to travel abroad for a multi-week external course program.”
Natthaly Natschke and Michelle Hoppe lead the trainee project team as a joint leadership duo:“We have already experienced the trainee project team in many different constellations, starting with our own time as trainees. As former trainees at the company, we bring a valuable perspective to our role as co-leads of the trainee project team. We know first-hand the challenges, expectations, and opportunities associated with an apprenticeship at this company. This experience enables us to understand the needs and concerns of the current trainees even better and respond to them in a targeted way. We know how important it is to receive support while also having the freedom to develop and realize our own ideas.”
“Now we are looking forward to viewing the whole thing from a different perspective and supporting a great and diverse trainee team. With the project, we not only have an important platform for exchange among trainees in different training paths, but also give them room to develop individual strengths and realize exciting projects. Our goal is to strengthen the trainees so that they can implement their projects with confidence and creativity — to the benefit of themselves and the entire company.”
“We are eagerly looking forward to the challenges and successes ahead.”
Which projects has the trainee project team carried out?
Here you can read a few examples of projects that our trainees have carried out. The trainees also always take care of the Christmas gift for employees. Based on a budget and with plenty of creativity, they create the gifts that colleagues look forward to every year.
Nature care with #greenkayak
Our trainee project team collected waste on and around the Alster in Hamburg to make a contribution to environmental protection. Equipped with kayaks from #greenkayak, grabbers, and gloves, they went after the rubbish on the water and on land: plastic bags, lighters, bottles, and even car tires ended up in the boat. In our small teams, everyone was motivated and having fun — the challenge was to win by collecting the biggest pile of rubbish. And so sacks upon sacks of litter were gathered. It is truly shocking how much waste ends up in the Alster: in the shallow shore area there are e-scooters, plus one glass bottle after another, often already overgrown and only distinguishable from the stones by their shape. For the sake of our green conscience, we will now leave our beloved home a little better and cleaner more often than we found it!
Evaluation of internal sustainability
Continuously improving ourselves and regularly taking a detached look at our previous approach is part of Bode Naturkost’s identity. In doing so, we also regularly rethink our internal sustainable practices.
For this reason, the trainee project team was given the responsible task of taking a closer look at our sustainability in terms of electricity, water, gas, and waste separation, and of looking for improvements.
As part of this project, the team developed measures to save electricity and water, such as a checklist of what to pay attention to when leaving the office and tips on using water sparingly in the kitchen. The trainees also designed a precise concept for better waste separation. This project is long-term in nature, as we want to continue improving in these areas.
Creating an insect bed
As part of our trainee project, we planted an insect bed on our company grounds. As is well known, hardworking insects such as bees, bumblebees, and many others make an important contribution to nature, as their work keeps our ecosystem stable.
Our insect bed is in a sunny spot so the plants can continue to shine with their beautiful blooms in the years to come. We chose a seed mix that produces flowers for wild bees and bumblebees, which are particularly at risk. In addition, we sowed plants that provide shelter for native butterflies.
Because sustainability is very important to us, this project is especially close to our hearts! To show you the difference, we put together a small photo collage for you. Stay tuned to see how our flowering wonder develops, and feel free to check back with us in the future to see which other projects we bring to life!
Product development “organic broken kernel mix”
From the initial idea right through to market readiness, the trainee project team handled the entire product development for our Bode article Organic broken kernel mix process. Here, the task was to develop a product from ingredients that are usually not used because of their size. The mix contains nut pieces that fall outside the calibration for whole kernels and at the same time offers a taste of the highest quality.
To do this, the trainees, for example, selected the ingredients and determined the right mixing ratio — for the perfect taste, a harmonious appearance, and to ensure the best value for money.
The trainees did an excellent job, and the result is a fantastic product!
