SES Expert Wolfgang
Eckstein in JLSS
The old Weiler lathes in
the Industrial Mechanics workshop were due for regulation after many
years of usage by both trainers and students. The newly acquired
Knuth CNC Lathe needed
connection and installation. We sent a request to SES, Senior Expert
Services in Germany, to send an expert to train our trainers in
accomplishing both tasks.
Mr. Wolfgang Eckstein was supposed to arrive before the new academic
year 2019/2020 started when our trainers have plenty of time for
training. Unfortunately, there was a water-leakage problem in his flat
that forced him to postpone his trip.
He arrived on Sunday 7 October 2019. He worked with our trainers on the
Weiler lathes until Thursday 17 October when the people's uprising
started in Lebanon and most roads were closed.
Schneller School had to send all students to their homes on Friday
hoping that all will be well by Sunday when they will return to school
and normal work would resume. The uprising continued. Demonstrations and
road closure continued for days. Most roads were closed.
Schneller staff, like all other people in Lebanon, were not able to
report to work.
Mr. Eckstein's work in the workshop was abruptly stopped. He was able to
continue with some paper work on the laptop, but work on the lathes was
brought to a halt.
The days were passing, and the time for Mr.
Eckstein's return to Germany was approaching. The Knuth CNC lathe was
not connected yet, so the director called Mr. Fadi Tebcherani, trainer
of Industrial Mechanics, and Mr. Fares Nassrallah, trainer of Industrial
Electricity, to try to come to JLSS on Thursday 24 October to work with
Mr. Eckstein on installing the CNC lathe.
They managed to do so, and finally after two hours of work the job was
done. Both rushed back home before roads were closed.
Mr. Eckstein was due to fly back to Germany on Sunday 27. We tried with
taxi companies to reserve a car to take him to the airport but we
failed. We reserved a room for him in a hotel in Beirut where we were
able to arrange for a taxi to take him to the airport on Sunday morning.
We finally were able to find a person who was able to take him in his
private car to Beirut early Saturday morning at 6:00 AM through mountain
roads.
He arrived to the hotel and spent the day there. He flew back to Germany
on Sunday on schedule.
We thank Mr. Eckstein for his work. We also thank SES for their support.