Apprentice trip 2026: Stronger Self – Stronger Team
This year’s Sport-Thieme trainee trip took us to Halberstadt. Under the motto “Stronger Self – Stronger Team”, 19 trainees from all three years of training came together with their trainers Nadine Masa, Willem Requardt and Bastian Pusch. For two days, the focus shifted away from office work and warehouse duties to personal strengths, teamwork, motivation and shared goals. Trainer Constantin Weimar was also there to guide us through the days with engaging workshops, fresh ideas and plenty of opportunities to exchange thoughts and experiences.
A Strong Start for Our Trainees
Our Thursday morning got underway at 7:30 am at our main site in Grasleben. After a quick attendance check, we hopped on the coach and headed to Halberstadt, arriving after around an hour on the road. Once there, we unloaded our luggage, checked in at reception and settled into our meeting room. We started with breakfast to fuel up before Constantin officially welcomed us and kicked off the first workshops.
Workshops Begin on Day 1
Our training began with the “Your Strengths” workshop. Instead of simply asking the classic question, “What are your strengths?”, which left most of us thinking for a moment, we took a deeper approach with Constantin. Step by step, we explored our individual strengths together. By the end, everyone had identified and written down at least one of their own strengths.
The next two workshops focused on “Managing Weaknesses” and “Goals During Your Training”. First, we took an honest look at our own weaknesses and learned to address them openly. Constantin then showed us some practical approaches for dealing with them in a professional and mature way. Afterwards, we looked at what we wanted to achieve during our training at Sport-Thieme and how we could best turn those ambitions into action. Thanks to Constantin’s advice and the concrete steps we wrote down, the workshop gave us some genuinely useful tools.
How We Spent Our Breaks
After the first half of the day, it was time for a well-earned lunch break! We all met in the hotel restaurant for a meal. Refreshed and after plenty of great conversations, we still had some time before the next workshop. The hotel had plenty to offer, so we used the break for a quick games session. There were some seriously competitive matches at the pool table and table tennis table, with rivalries continuing throughout the two days. After getting some fresh air, we headed into the afternoon in high spirits, ready for the next workshops.
Thursday Afternoon and Evening Programme
After lunch, we moved on to the “Achieving Goals” workshop. The focus was on both our individual goals and those we wanted to achieve as a team. We therefore worked in groups and developed solutions together to help us reach our goals. Constantin repeatedly highlighted how important it is to keep your goals in sight and formulate them using the SMART method. But wait. What exactly is the SMART method?
The SMART method focuses on five key aspects that are important when setting goals. Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound to give us the best possible chance of reaching them.
To round off the first day, we tackled a more emotional topic: the worries we have in connection with our training. We each wrote one of our concerns on a small wooden board, just for ourselves. On the back, we then wrote down a solution or goal to address that particular worry. Once everyone had finished, our trainer explained the rest of the exercise. We had to break the board, which he was holding with the side showing our worry facing us. The idea was to symbolically let go of the negative thoughts that were weighing on us. The exercise was an emotional experience and certainly left a lasting impression on everyone who took part.
At 6:00 pm, it was already time to continue with our group dinner. Afterwards, an evening activity was on the agenda. In the time between dinner and the programme, some of us made the most of the opportunity for an impromptu football match. Trainees from Grasleben and the logistics site in Haldensleben joined forces, and we had a great time out on the pitch.
Right on schedule at 7:15 pm, our evening programme began. It was time for archery! The evening continued in a relaxed and sporty atmosphere, accompanied by music and plenty of good conversations. We also grabbed various pieces of equipment from the Sport-Thieme range, organised a few group games and simply enjoyed spending time together. This part of the day brought us even closer together as a group.
Friday Morning and the Rest of the Day
After a hearty breakfast, we headed into our first workshop. The focus was on teamwork and the importance of working well together as a group. Various exercises really put us to the test. One particularly challenging task was getting all the trainees onto an ever-decreasing number of chairs. One chair disappeared after another, yet somehow we managed to fit all 19 trainees onto just five standard chairs in the end! Not only did we work brilliantly together, but we also had plenty of laughs along the way.
After more group challenges and some very useful presentations from Constantin, which demonstrated just how important teamwork really is, we moved into one final creative phase. Our task was to create a personal presentation about ourselves and show the others a more private side of who we are. We designed posters and then presented them to the other trainees in small groups.
To wrap things up, everyone took part in a feedback session about the past two days. We shared our thoughts with Constantin, talked about what we enjoyed and discussed what could still be improved. At 3:30 pm, we headed back to Grasleben, tired but happy, arriving at around 4:30 pm and bringing our trainee trip to an end.
Conclusion to the Trainee Trip
Overall, we trainees had a fantastic time and gained plenty of new experiences and perspectives. The workshops, as well as the conversations we shared in the evenings and during breaks, definitely brought the Sport-Thieme trainee team closer together. We all grew personally in one way or another and took away plenty of useful tips for our working lives as well as our personal lives.
All in all, this year’s trainee trip was a complete success!