KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz welcomed four local national students from the Kaiserslautern and Baumholder communities May 30, as part of the Garrison Apprenticeship Program initiative.
The program, which starts Sept. 1, will place the students in various administrative positions within the garrison, giving them a unique opportunity to learn about its different installations and gain practical experience in a chosen field. Apprentices will be able to develop skills and knowledge to prepare them for their future careers.
Col. Reid Furman, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz commander, welcomed the apprentices and provided remarks.
“I would like to welcome everybody here today,” said Furman. “This is our second year of sponsoring an apprentice program – which is a very important program to me.”
Furman gave a brief overview of the services offered by USAG Rheinland-Pfalz and emphasized the importance of becoming a part of the garrison team.
“We are a team based on values and service to our customers,” he said. “We have strong leadership across the garrison – the range of services we provide is really incredible.”
Over the next few years, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz will experience a significant number of retirements among its local national positions. As these retirements occur, there will be a need to fill the resulting vacancies with qualified personnel. The number of apprentices required will be driven by the number of retirees, so the apprentice program will play a critical role in maintaining the workforce.
The Apprenticeship Program is a strategic initiative for USAG Rheinland-Pfalz, not only to ensure continuity of services but also by providing valuable opportunities for the apprentices to develop their skills and grow into these future roles/positions. Welcoming these students as apprentices helps the garrison nurture young talent, provides real-world experience and mentorship, and contributes to their educational and professional development.
“You will interact with the Soldiers, families, and Civilians who live here – this makes YOU the face of the Garrison,” said Furman. “The next three years will help you understand how big the Garrison’s impact is, and how important what we do really is.”
To be considered for white-collar / office management positions, applicants need to be at least 18 years old, hold a valid Class B driver’s license, and be high school graduates. For blue-collar / labor positions, applicants need to be at least 15 years old, and hold a secondary school diploma. Both white-collar and blue-collar positions within the program require good grades in English, strong communication skills and the applicants should display attributes such as resilience, reliability, and a willingness to learn.
The apprentices welcomed today will be placed in office management positions and be rotated every six months throughout the different directorates. This will provide them exposure to the various aspects of the organization’s mission while they develop a well-rounded knowledge of the entire organization and its operations. After 18 months, the apprentices will be placed in their assigned positions.
“It’s a lot of information to take in in one session,” Furman said. “I want you to know we are happy to have you on our team. I hope that you will all have great experiences here, that you learn something new every day, and that at the end of the three years you decide to be a permanent part of our team.”
For more information about the USAG RP Apprenticeship Program, contact Ms. Sabrina Gruner at 0611-143-541-1009 or sabrina.gruener.ln@army.mil or Mr. Daniel Nagel at 0631-413-6160 or daniel.nagel3.ln@army.mil
U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz serves, supports, and secures the total force community enabling power projection for the European Theater.
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