A new academy for SMEs

The new GAT Academy was launched on 1 April. It was established at the request of members.

Our members wanted to revive the GAT’s former training programme (training for sales staff and service technicians at the customer’s premises)," explains Kevin Rieke, Managing Director of the German purchasing cooperative, an economic association of small and medium-sized lift manufacturers and service companies. "It needed to be more modern (online, hybrid training, digital administration) and applicable to all departments."

The new academy now offers GAT members support in the areas of office organisation, mandatory training and instruction, knowledge management, sales, leadership and personal development (masterclasses, best practices). The learning groups are supplemented by further events and live training sessions.

Tailored to needs

The trio of the GAT Academy (left to right): Kevin Rieke, Martina Koch and Alexander Koch. Photo: © Marie-Theres Niessalla / Daniel Hünfeld – KI bearbeitet

"We focus on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and, in consultation with them, develop new content that is tailored to the needs of the GAT member structures," emphasises Rieke.

Knowledge manager Martina Koch and systemic business coach Alexander Koch are responsible for the content and the platform. The specialist content is also generated by suppliers and members and is prepared didactically by the pair and made available digitally.

GAT handles the organisation, billing and marketing. The academy is not free for GAT members either, but is charged at cost price. "The employees in GAT member companies are highly competent. We want to utilise and build on this knowledge advantage within the community. At the same time, we are strengthening and supporting managers," concludes GAT Managing Director Rieke.

More informations: gat-eg.de