LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany – Starting a new year of apprenticeships in September, 33 young professionals began their career at Colors & Effects®, the global pigment business of BASF. At its site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, the company is welcoming 22 chemical and three laboratory technicians. The company’s Besigheim, Germany, and Monthey, Switzerland, sites will each welcome four additional young professionals to start their apprenticeships.

“As the high expertise of our employees is the foundation of our innovative pigment technologies, the education of new talents has a long tradition in our company”, said Andreas Wagner, Head of Global Human Resources at Colors & Effects. Wagner added, “Despite these challenging times, we make sure to offer our apprentices the best conditions for the start into their professional lives, while setting health and protection as our highest priority.”

Wagner explained how the company has adjusted the onboarding process for the new employees in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic, “In Ludwigshafen, our classes will be welcomed separately on their first day, in order to reduce the total number of participants for each event. As part of our adjusted onboarding program, our new employees will be introduced to the dedicated hygiene concepts at our sites.”

In addition to welcoming the apprentices to the company, Wagner congratulated the young talents who recently completed their apprenticeship programs successfully. Of that group, 32 young professionals have been permanently employed at Colors & Effects, 24 of them in Ludwigshafen, six in Besigheim and two in Monthey.