Purchasing department internship
ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Zhongshan Plant, Zhongshan (China)

A three-month internship outside Germany was part of my business administration program at the University of Applied Sciences in Commerce and Industry in Hanover. My major: international management. I decided to do my internship at ThyssenKrupp Elevator since I was already familiar with the company through two prior internships – in the purchasing departments at ThyssenKrupp Fahrtreppen, Hamburg and ThyssenKrupp Fahrzeugguss, Hildesheim, both in Germany. So I was quite eager to compare those experiences with the Purchasing department at the Chinese plant in Zhongshan.

My tasks were many and wide-ranging. I took part in day-to-day operations, accompanied the Purchasing Manager when it was time to negotiate prices and terms with suppliers, and even got to tour the suppliers’ production sites. I also pitched in on a supplier evaluation system which made quality benchmarks measurable. Another highlight was working on the purchasing project. Its aim was to use processes described in detail to help create a new and improved purchasing framework.

China cast a spell over me. Heeding the sages of the Far East, I took beginners’ tai chi and qigong evening classes. And my good-natured Chinese co-workers helped me navigate my way through the everyday things, like deciphering the symbols on my washing machine or air conditioner.

I am really glad I did this internship because it showed me that international management isn’t just about what you absorb in college seminars – you need to know and understand how and why cultural diversity and different mentalities play such a big role in business. Something else I took away from the experience: both worlds can learn a lot from each other.