Victoria has been working at Ypsomed in toolmaking for six and a half years. She is fascinated by how a piece of metal can be turned into a usable workpiece. She likes to spend her free time outdoors, playing sports, or at her music club. In this interview, she gives us detailed insights into her everyday working life.
How old are you, where are you from, and what do you like to do in your free time?
I am 22 years old and come from Ersigen. I like to spend my free time with family and friends in nature, hiking, skiing, cycling, or doing other activities. When I'm not outdoors, I like to play the saxophone in the Koppigen Music Society.
What is your role at our company?
I work in toolmaking, doing surface grinding. We mainly process the shaping workpieces for injection molding tools, i.e., mold inserts and similar items. These have to be very precise so that we get a perfect plastic part. When these parts come to us, they have already been milled and hardened. During hardening, the parts are heated, but this causes them to warp. As a result, they are often slightly crooked and not at right angles. My job is to grind the parts so that they are the exact size, flat, and at right angles. To do this, we machine the parts several times on each side. This allows us to achieve tolerances of up to 0.005 mm.
What was it like for you to be the first woman to start this apprenticeship at Ypsomed?
I was given a warm welcome and received a lot of positive feedback. Everyone treated me exactly the same as the other apprentices, which I really appreciated. I felt very comfortable here right from the start. I also received a lot of encouragement and support from my family and friends in my private life.
What support did you receive from trainers and colleagues?
In the apprenticeship, we have vocational trainers and practical trainers. This means that we have a traditional master craftsman and one or more practical trainers for each type of processing. These are the professionals who work on the machines and support us in producing workpieces. Everyone is very open and helpful when it comes to questions. I was able to gather a lot of valuable information from my colleagues' years of experience and thus also implement my own ideas. Often it's a combination of both.
What do you like about your work and the company?
I find it very fascinating how a piece of metal can be turned into a usable workpiece. All the individual parts work together harmoniously to create a high-precision plastic injection molding tool. At the end of the working day, I can see exactly what I have achieved.
Our company has a very modern tool shop with the latest machines and technologies. These are constantly updated so that we are always up to date. We are allowed to contribute our wishes and ideas and thus grow personally.
What is a normal working day like for you?
I work in a two-shift system, which means I have early and late shifts that alternate on a weekly basis. When I have the early shift, I start work at around 6:00 AM. First, I check which orders are next, set up the machine, and start production. Some workpieces have a longer running time. During this time, I set up the second machine, then produce on two machines simultaneously, or write work journals. At 1:30 PM, the late shift arrives and takes over the work. After the handover, I finish work at around 2:00 PM In the late shift, we can't do a personal handover, so instead we write down for the other shift where we left off and what needs to be done next. The shift ends at around 10:00 PM.
What is the working atmosphere like at Ypsomed?
The working atmosphere is very pleasant. We all treat each other as equals and with respect, which I really appreciate. This creates a safe and productive environment.
Name three terms you would use to describe Ypsomed.
Precise – forward-looking – cooperative.
