Glashütte Original has doubled the number of watchmaking apprentices being enrolled into its Alfred Helwig School of Watchmaking in Glashütte and managing director Günter Wiegand has made a job promise to all new students.
The new school year started on August 19th when 28 apprentices began their watchmaking training. Of the new starters 24 will study to become watchmakers while the final four will be trained in the art of making watchmaking tools.
In previous years only 12 places for the watchmaking course had been available. Glashütte Original said that 2013’s 100% increase on the year before is the result of its "response to growing worldwide demand for its exclusive timepieces".
Wiegand has made a public pledge to the new influx of apprentices, promising any student who achieves an overall grade higher than 2.0 – the equivalent of a B in the UK – a job in the Glashütte Original manufactory or another Swatch Group company.
The Alfred Helwig School of Watchmaking, which is run by director Gunnar Müller, opened in 2001 and this year signifies the 13th class to pass through the school.
Glashütte Original said that as well as an increase in student numbers, the school is now attracting students from further afield with newly enrolled members joining from all over Germany.
