A completely unexpected journey

Hi everyone, my name is Anna and I'm in my 2nd year of training to become an office management assistant, here at the DHL hub in Leipzig.

As my training is slowly coming to an end, I would like to look back at my journey to DHL. It all started with my sister about four years ago. At that time, she was also in the apprenticeship program of the same name. At a dinner with my family, she asked us if we would be interested in getting to know her workplace on what she called a "Family and Friends Tour." We didn't hesitate for long and said yes immediately.

Finally, after two months, the time had come. Full of anticipation, we joined the relatives and acquaintances of the other employees in front of Terminal Two. With our ID cards and a signature, we were given tickets to enter the still closed gates of the DHL hub in Leipzig. First, accompanied by a tour guide, we went through the security check. We were asked to take off our jackets and remove belts and watches, comparable to the procedure for a flight on vacation. We then all went into a room with a large screen, the Visitors Gallery. We watched a movie. I found it really interesting, because it was not only about the location and the origins of the company, but also about how DHL Express manages to schedule packages so that they can make a trip across the globe in a single night. I was so fascinated by these smooth processes that I thought about what it would be like to be a part of this process.

With this theoretical knowledge, we continued our tour. Equipped with headsets, we began our tour of the DHL HUB Leipzig universe. Already the first stop in the NCC (Network Control Center) and HCC (Hub Control Center) was simply indescribable and for me the most beautiful moment. Through a huge window front we got a fascinating view of a cloudless sky and the illuminated apron and runway. So we could watch the planes landing. The moment was simply unique.

As soon as the planes landed, they were unloaded by the colleagues in charge and distributed to the terminals, where they were sorted by destination with the help of large conveyor belts. I have never seen so many chutes and conveyor belts as here. After sorting, the packages are packed into ULDs (aircraft containers) and loaded onto the respective aircraft via the apron.

The apron is equipped with many lines in different colors and the StVO applies here. It felt like being in a small town, in a DHL city.

So many beautiful and new impressions had an impact on me that I still look back on fondly today. After visiting DHL, I decided to do my apprenticeship here. And I'm glad I made it. But most of all, I'm proud to be able to follow in my big sister's footsteps.

Who would have thought that one tour would change my life. - Anna Sophie Jähne