“I’m always surprised to learn how many day-to-day areas rely on surface technology,” says Heike Sperling, and tells us a story about a watch she received as a birthday present. “Everyone shook their head when I looked on in fascination as I saw surface finishing in action. I look at things from a different perspective – it’s an illness of the profession, I guess,” she smiles. And it comes as no surprise – after all, Heike Sperling is a champion in galvanizing and metal cutting and so she knows all about the complex processes behind things like high-gloss or dirt- and water-resistant surfaces.
Anyone who’d like to pursue a career like this today could do an apprenticeship as a surface finisher, which ZEISS offers in Oberkochen. This is a job where the description is clear. Back in the mid-1980s, when Heike Sperling was looking for a traineeship, galvanizers were being hired. “Technology always appealed to me, which is why I took a technology class at school – I was my parents’ only daughter. When I left school, I wanted to become a motorbike mechanic. But my grandmother told me: You don’t want to do that! Your fingernails will always be dirty,” says Heike Sperling with a chuckle. Her grandmother was very happy when she applied for a job at ZEISS. “My dad worked there and besides, back then ZEISS was the place to be if you wanted a great traineeship in the area. Just being invited for an interview was like winning the lottery, especially because apprenticeships were so few and far between at the time,” she remembers. She actually applied for a role as a precision engineer. “When I went for interview, it was suggested that I train as a galvanizer. I have to say, I didn’t really know what it was all about,” she says with a smile. After doing a lot of research, her dad became skeptical. “That’s when I started getting really interested,” grins Heike Sperling.