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Working at one of Germany’s biggest festivals during my apprenticeship – sounds crazy and definitely wasn’t on my bingo card for 2025…
And yet, in June I found myself at Weeze Airport, taking part in none other than Parookaville. Right in the middle of the “City of Dreams”, surrounded by music, thousands of people and fully in festival mode – and all of this as part of the MERKUR FESTIVAL CREW. Surreal pretty much sums it up.
At the MERKUR CLUB CASINO, festival-goers were treated to non-stopaction: with interactive bingo, casino games such as roulette and blackjack,the Money Box and the Derby race, there was the chance to win cool MERKURmerchandise – and all of it just for fun, with no real money at stake!
And me? I was right in the middle of it all, together with my crew members – aka colleagues, fellow apprentices and even trainers. We mainly helped create a great vibe, approached people, brought them into the casino, handed out tattoos, explained our games and activities and kept everyone entertained. Honestly, it felt much more like being part of the festival than actually working.
And after our shifts? The evening didn’t end there. Instead of heading to bed, we did what you’re supposed to do at a festival – we explored the site, celebrated together, watched some great acts or just chilled in our crew area.
Our FESTIVAL CREW was a real mix: MERKUR employees from all areas were there, although only a few apprentices – which made it even cooler that I got the chance to be part of it. And how many people can say they’ve partied with their trainers and more experienced colleagues? I’d guess not many.
For me, it was so much more than just “work”: new people, new situations, just going for it and stepping out of your comfort zone. And honestly, experiences like this are what make an apprenticeship truly special.
If someone asked me about the best moment of my apprenticeship so far, PAROOKAVILLE would definitely be right at the top.
