“Can you do it?”
Changing career to ceramics production
As a career changer, Nadja Böckel proves every day that you can succeed in production even without a technical background. A conversation about courage, mud and motivation.
Nadja, you are a career changer – how did you come to work for us?
A friend told me that Geberit was looking for people to work in production. She said the company had done a lot to make the job feasible for women – for example, lifting aids. That made me curious. I applied – and jumped straight into the deep end.
What was your first impression of the casting shop?
Huge! Literally. The moulds, the dimensions – it was all very impressive. At first, I asked myself: Can you do this? Luckily, I had a mentor who trained me and showed me everything step by step. As of this week, I’m casting completely independently. 29 pieces a day, and at the end you see the finished product. That makes me proud.
What do you particularly enjoy about your work?
First, the team. We work together like clockwork. My colleagues are very helpful and patient. Whenever I have questions, I can always ask. Second, I love that it’s manual work. Mistakes happen, of course – but you learn from them. And honestly: maybe it goes back to my childhood, but I’ve always loved playing in the mud.
How do you experience the company?
Very positively. I can go to the supervisor with any concern – there’s always a listening ear. The working conditions were explained transparently during the interview. And: you get used to everything – even the warm and humid temperature in the casting shop.