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Today: Nicole Gygi, Accounting
Her motto: Always stay positive and send this out, then a lot of positive things always come back.

Nicole, you celebrated your 30th company anniversary last year. Tell us about your beginnings at Aluminium Laufen AG.
I did my apprenticeship here; my first working day was 8 August 1994. First, I did the 2-year office apprenticeship, then the commercial apprenticeship. I was very grateful that I was given this opportunity back then. For me, it was particularly nice that I quickly made friends here as a teenager, straight after school. My work colleagues took me into the lunch break straight away and integrated me into the team. They went out of their way to explain the processes to me and never gave me the feeling that ‘oh no, here comes the junior .... '. As an apprentice, I was very well supported and involved. And everything was explained to me in detail, why this and that task is important and what the next step will be - that's always important in vocational training. We had a good team spirit and I had an exciting time here as an apprentice.

After my apprenticeship, I initially worked in invoicing and accounting and helped in other departments when needed, as I was familiar with many tasks in detail as a former apprentice.  
Today, I work in financial accounting and am responsible for accounts receivable and accounts payable. Daniel, my current office colleague, was my instructor back then and today we not only share the office, but also the financial accounting tasks. There are a few other colleagues from my early days who still work here today.

What significance does your company anniversary have for you personally?
I am proud to have been here for so long. I have seen many technical developments – when I started my job, there were no computer workstations or the internet – and the way we work has changed a lot. During this time, I have also got to know several directors and their goals and the changes they initiated. I have spent more than half of my life here and made many friends.

What persuaded you to stay here all these years?
Right at the end of my apprenticeship, my former instructor started a further training course and worked part-time, so he needed additional support at work. I seized the opportunity to take on the newly created position and have not regretted it to this day. I felt very welcome here from the very beginning and I have always enjoyed my work and still do today.

Are there any projects that stand out in your memory?
After that, I served on our works council for two terms, so eight years. I really enjoyed that; we were a wonderful team. One highlight was organising the Summer Night Festival in September 2019 for employees and their families. We submitted a proposal to executive board, received the approval and a budget, and organised the event. It was great to see so many people join the festivities with their families.

Finally, a look into the future: What might your job look like in ten years?
In the future, artificial intelligence will take over many of today's tasks – how well it will do this in individual cases remains to be seen. I think that people are important and that the personal touch should not be lost – on the other hand, the cost reduction through automation is also important.

Nicole Gygi is one of our long-standing employees with a wealth of experience in various administrative roles. In 2024, she celebrated her 30th anniversary with the company. Nicole Gygi has witnessed and helped shape the digital development of Aluminium Laufen from the very beginning and still remembers an office environment without e-mail, mobile phones, video conferencing, flat screens ….. Thanks to her broad knowledge and comprehensive understanding of the processes, she is frequently consulted on technical matters.