Kempen, 25 August – ‘It was important to me to do my training at a family business.’ Leon Tarkowski started at the Kempen-based paint manufacturer Peters on 1 August 2025. The 18-year-old is completing a three-year apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at Hooghe Weg 13. Leon noticed the difference between this and a corporate-run company right from the start. ‘There’s a warm atmosphere here,’ says the St. Hubert native, who was born in Düsseldorf. After two interviews and a trial period, it was clear to both sides: Leon and Peters – it’s a good fit.
The youngster made a conscious decision to pursue an apprenticeship and left the Kem-pen comprehensive school after Year 12 to gain professional experience. ‘I already had mini-jobs as a schoolboy and simply feel more comfortable at work than at school,’ reports the St. Hubert native. As a budding industrial clerk, he wants to use his apprenticeship at Peters to get to know the company from A to Z and gain experience: ‘Everything is very varied here.’ In addition to his apprenticeship, Leon, who describes himself as ‘talented at movement,’ devotes himself to sports such as martial arts, football and ice hockey.
Professional experience preferred to school
The high practical relevance in an industrial company also prompted Sofia Mohr to apply to Peters. The 18-year-old is the second trainee of the 2025 cohort alongside Leon. The young woman from the Sevelen district of Issum in the Kleve district previously completed her vocational baccalaureate in economics and administration at the Geldern vocational college. As Sofia has a penchant for business administration and accounting, she feels that she is in good hands as a future industrial clerk at Peters. Materials management, sales, marketing, human resources and, in particular, finance and accounting are her thing. Sofia is now working hard to complete her in-depth training and also to take advantage of the wide range of further training opportunities on offer. She can well imagine a career at Peters, but does not want to put the cart before the horse.
