Hesse's best industrial clerk works at IPW

In a festive atmosphere, the Hanau-Gelnhausen-Schlüchtern Chamber of Industry and Commerce honored the young people for their outstanding achievements: "You have accomplished something extraordinary and shown what is possible when you pursue a goal with passion, take responsibility, and don't let setbacks discourage you. You can be really proud of that," said Chamber of Industry and Commerce President Natasha Rohde in her laudatory speech to the graduates.

Christina Korn is one of the young professionals who have achieved something extraordinary. She completed her training as an industrial clerk at Evonik in the Wolfgang Industrial Park—after a shortened two-year apprenticeship—with 98.4 out of a possible 100 points. For this impressive achievement, she was honored by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce as the best graduate in her field in the state. The 29-year-old had originally planned a completely different career path. Before her training, she studied mathematics, sports, and German at Goethe University Frankfurt to become a teacher and successfully passed the state examination and, at the same time, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in educational sciences.

When Christina Korn realized that she wasn't entirely happy with her career choice, she started looking for alternatives. "I was looking for a training program that would give me a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. The profession of industrial clerk is ideal for this, as it involves a wide range of activities, for example in the areas of purchasing, sales, human resources, accounting, and controlling," reports the graduate. This flexibility, plus the diverse range of job and training options and the opportunity to work in any industry, particularly appealed to the young woman.

During her training, the Wächtersbach native worked in a wide variety of departments, including Foreign Trade and Human Resources. This gave her a comprehensive insight into the world of Evonik. After completing her training, Christina Korn found her new professional home in the Accounting department. “My new field of work suits me very well because I'm a numbers person,” says the young colleague.

Her recipe for success in completing her training with distinction? “Thanks to the experience I gained during my studies and the exams associated with the state examination and bachelor's degree, I was used to learning in a focused and well-structured way. You should also always trust in your own strengths and not drive yourself too crazy,” advises the successful industrial clerk.

Chemical laboratory assistant Maxim Pietsch is one of the 2025 graduates from the industrial park. After successfully completing his training, he decided to continue his career path at university. The 23-year-old recently began studying industrial engineering at the University of Jena.

For many years now, Evonik has been a sought-after partner for young people starting their careers. In September, more than 500 young professionals began their vocational training at our company, which is one of the largest training providers in Germany. The training quota in the company recently reached around 7 percent—significantly higher than the national average of around 4.5 percent in the chemical industry. Evonik has already received several awards as the best training company. In scientific professions, for example, the company is considered one of the top addresses for training. Last year, around 97 percent of Evonik's trainees passed their final exams.