Martin Waldner is site manager in the company “Unser Lagerhaus” – building materials department in Hermagor. His career started with teaching.
HERMAGOR, JADERSDORF. Holding the managerial position in the company where you once started as an apprentice – not everyone can say that about themselves. Martin Waldner has followed this successful path. When he attended the “Stiegerhof” agricultural college after compulsory school, the young man saw his professional future as anything but clear and distinct. “At the time I was undecided on which direction I wanted to go.” He began an apprenticeship as a metal technician, but soon switched to the commercial sector and started an apprenticeship as a retail salesman at the Baustoffe warehouse in Hermagor.
Wide field of activity
He felt right at home in the company. “The varied work, the extensive range of products, the contact with customers and the development opportunities in the company were decisive for me,” he says, explaining his choice of an apprenticeship at the warehouse. Orders, purchasing and sales, logistics, product presentation, customer service and much more fascinated him from the start. Step by step, the man from Gitschtal, who lives in Jadersdorf, developed professionally and personally, and was challenged and encouraged by his superiors.
On the executive floor
When the managing director at the time, Norbert Oberortner, died unexpectedly and prematurely, the door to the executive floor opened for Waldner. In 2008 he succeeded Oberortner. As a manager, Waldner currently has eight employees in his team, trains apprentices himself and accompanies young people on their professional careers. “We need apprentices so that we can continue to develop as a company,” emphasizes the site manager. The leap from skilled worker to boss heralded a new phase in Waldner’s everyday work. “Suddenly I had the responsibility for the success of the company, the well-being and the satisfaction of the employees. I was faced with new areas of responsibility such as bookkeeping or invoice control, in which I still had to deepen my knowledge.” Last but not least, Waldner is responsible for ensuring that the company flourishes economically. As site manager, the man from Gitschtal appreciates the freedom he has in his work. The 43-year-old particularly enjoys communicating with people, advising and searching for and finding creative solutions for customers. “Most clients come to us who want to realize their projects. It is a great feeling to accompany and satisfy you in this process.”
