Papenburg joins a pan-European InitiativePapenburg, 31.03.2006 - MEYER WERFT and local schools in Papenburg participate actively in the "Week of Shipbuilding." This initiative has been launched by the Community of European Shipyards' Associations (CESA) and by the European umbrella organisation of the metal workers' unions. MEYER WERFT has opened its doors to potential young professionals in order to introduce young people to the variety of careers in the shipbuilding industry. For this reason special projects were agreed in cooperation with three schools: The local grammar school ("Gymnasium Papenburg") has initiated a project week dealing with the issue "Young people & cruising." In a study students in class 11 have defined the requirements young people have on a cruise ship. Students at the local vocational school ("Berufsbildende Schulen Papenburg") have been working on their project "CAD training at a vocational school." The secondary school students ("Michaelschule") have put a ber focus on the aspect of craftmanship, and have built a model of AIDAdiva so as to express their fascination with shipbuilding. The shipyard's vocational training will be continued on a high level. At the same time the apprentices participate in special projects. This year, within the scope of the state garden show taking place in Winsen in Lower Saxony, 35 tons of metal were processed. "The trade's b innovative forces are the key to the German shipyards' latest success," explains Mr Bernard Meyer, managing partner of the yard, who presently chairs the German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association (VSM). According to Erwin Siemens, chairman of MEYER WERFT's works council, "the yard needs to keep up its vocational training on a high level in order to keep the lead in technology. We need highly qualified new generations of skilled workers and engineers." The shipyard currently employs a staff of 2,200. Next to the 100 permanent jobs which are being newly created, also the number of new apprentices will be increased to 60 this year. All told, the shipyard will then train 200 apprentices. Until 2009, the order book contains eight cruise ships and four gas tankers.