As of: March 28, 2024, 9:07 a.m
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Helga and Michael Grellner have been working as caretakers at the Christoph Probst High School in Gilching for 25 years. © uli singer
Caretakers are the contact person for everyone and the good soul of a house: Just like Michael and Helga Grellner, who have been working at the Christoph Probst High School in Gilching for 25 years. Michael Grellner is far from thinking about quitting.
Gilching
– There is no traditional vocational training for becoming a caretaker, and there is no specific educational path required. For many career changers, this is a good opportunity to discover the profession as a vocation. Like Michael Grellner, who has been the caretaker at the Christoph-Probst-Gymnasium (CPG) in Gilching for 25 years - and despite being retired, is not thinking about quitting.
Michael Grellner learned to be a carpenter. “I was mainly employed in construction and at the age of 40, the hard work caused problems in my back. “I knew then that I had to change my career,” says the Gilching native. By chance, he started talking to Gottfried Krischke, then managing director of the association for secondary schools. “Man, Michi,” he said. “We are looking for a new caretaker at the high school because the current one is retiring. You would be the right man for it.” Grellner didn’t have to think twice, took the plunge and started an unknown, yet exciting new world of work with his wife Helga on January 1, 1999.
“It was a real challenge, but one that was really fun to overcome. My predecessor also helped me when I didn't know what to do." After all, around 1,600 students currently attend the high school, who are looked after by 160 teachers. While the now 66-year-old takes care of “the essentials”, including the technical systems, his wife Helga (64) took over the kiosk, which was later replaced by the cafeteria. It also ensures order in and around the house. This also includes the evening rounds to pick up and dispose of paper cups, discarded soup spoons, packaging material and pizza containers.
And who cleans the school building? “In addition, there are a total of 24 cleaning staff every day after school who take on the work on an hourly basis. Our cleaning plan includes, among other things, the classrooms and lounges as well as the gym and the toilets. The last cleaning company employees often don’t arrive until around 10 p.m.,” explains Grellner.
Now that the regular fitness center visitor and owner of a young dog has reached retirement age, he could retire with a clear conscience. Yes, if only he wanted to. “That’s not for me,” says Grellner. “I’m not ready for that yet. The high school is my home, and as long as my health is good, I would like to continue working where I feel comfortable." Discussions about continued employment with the association for secondary schools, his employer, have already taken place, emphasizes Grellner. "It looks very good. But a final decision will only be made in the next few days.”
Uli Singer