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It’s 8:30 a.m. Lea Rosendahl, a budding chemical laboratory assistant, enters the lab and takes her lab coat from the hook. “Today I need to evaluate two syntheses and study for my exams. Reaction controls are also on the agenda.” She puts on her coat as she walks to her workstation. “My day alternates between hands-on lab work and theoretical learning. I really enjoy this variety.”
Lea is in her third year of apprenticeship at BYK in Wesel, Germany. She started in August 2023, but her interest in chemistry as a potential career path began much earlier. While still at school, she completed an internship as a chemical laboratory assistant at another company, and it quickly became clear to her: “This is what I want to do professionally. BYK’s strong reputation motivated me to apply here.”
You are given a lot of freedom, which shows how much trust is placed in us to work responsibly and carefully.
Growth through trust
At the beginning of her apprenticeship, the focus was on theoretical knowledge, which she was able to apply and deepen directly through practical experiments and trials. “Our trainer placed a great deal of trust in us and allowed us to work independently at an early stage.” Lea was able to get involved right away, whether in ongoing projects or taking responsibility.
At BYK, the training of young talent emphasizes independence and development through trust from the very start. “Of course, it was also a bit challenging to take on so much responsibility,” Lea says. “But thanks to the open support and freedom I was given, I was able to quickly gain confidence and contribute effectively.” When she was entrusted with her first independent project, Lea soon realized that her opinion mattered and that her experiences and results were taken seriously. “This feeling of truly contributing showed me that my ideas can have a real impact.”
Development through freedom
Together with two other apprentices, Lea was given the opportunity during her first year of training to research, design, and present an information poster on the topic of “Sustainability in the Laboratory” to the research and development team in Wesel. The result? Today, the poster hangs in every BYK laboratory worldwide. “It was an experience that strengthened me personally and allowed me to surpass myself.”
For Lea, opportunities like this demonstrate how much trust is placed in apprentices and how highly their contributions are valued. Managers and colleagues alike are always open to questions and eager to share their knowledge. “Everyone interacts on an equal footing, regardless of their position or department.”
During her apprenticeship at BYK, Lea has learned to embrace new tasks and has been able to keep on developing. She has also learned how important it is to ask questions. “This experience has shown me that curiosity and initiative are not only allowed but actively encouraged, and that this exchange allows me to grow both personally and professionally.”
BYK apprentices have been impressing with outstanding performance for many years.
2010 → 2025
In 2025, BYK apprentices were recognized as the best in their class by the Lower Rhine Chamber of Industry and Commerce for the 16th consecutive time. In total, BYK apprentices have ranked among the best in their class in North Rhine-Westphalia ten times, and twice they have even been named among the best in all of Germany.
