Report by K. Kornmann

Onboarding Seminar as Part of ThyssenKrupp AG's Group Trainee Program

Full of anticipation, I set off in the middle of July 2011 for Krefeld to take part in the "Onboarding" module, the first of four seminars for group trainees. The itinerary for the three days sounded quite promising and diverse. I had already met some of the other trainees during the Career Day in February and was looking forward to seeing them again. During our common selection process, I especially liked how we all had an attitude of exchange, support and openness. I was also excited to learn more about the ThyssenKrupp Group, its history and future.
I could see from the itinerary that the third day was dedicated to self-reflection. I was initially plagued with doubt about this. For starters, I had already taken many "skill" seminars during my studies; for another, the application process alone was cause for plenty of self-reflection. After all, it is a fundamental part of the process to find job responsibilities and an employer that best fits one's strengths, weaknesses and interests. Application letters, interviews and assessment centers – the focus is always on a person's own personality. Therefore, plenty of intense self-reflection had already been called for. Would the Onboarding module really add value?

Getting to Know Each Other & Team Building

Two refreshingly unconventional methods were selected to make it easier for us to get to know each other. The first was that participants introduced themselves simultaneously and dynamically using a questionnaire; this was followed by outdoor team building activities which also served to build trust among us. We worked together to find creative solutions, for example, to build a tent while blindfolded and without using our hands.
Now that we knew each other relatively well, the afternoon was spent hearing two former trainees talk about their experiences. It was especially positive that we had the additional opportunity to continue the discussions in the evening in a relaxed atmosphere. It became clear to me once again how important networking is for everyone personally and for the company as well. Moreover, hearing about the former trainee's experiences and the subsequent discussion made it clear that flexibility and openness are especially critical, not just for the success of the trainee program, but for our own professional and personal development, too.

The ThyssenKrupp Group

The second day of the Onboarding module was dedicated to getting information about and impressions of the ThyssenKrupp Group. We began with a presentation given by Mr. Desai, Head of Corporate Center Corporate Development at ThyssenKrupp AG. His kickoff speech was surely a highlight for many of us. Since we all work in different areas of the group, we have quite different perspectives of the company's strategy. In this regard, his presentation spurred us to consider what the current strategy means for the individual business areas. Given the current market trends, it was very interesting to get his views of the situation and the future of the company.
After that, some of us presented our business area or group company and our responsibilities. This is where the enormous advantage of a trainee program became clear: It offers participants the opportunity to see the big picture outside their own position – not only by rotating and collecting our own experiences, but by sharing them with the others. We also certainly benefited from the fact that we work in different functions, such as Finance, Controlling, Accounting and Strategy.
While the morning was dedicated to the future and the present, the afternoon was our chance for a journey into the past. While taking a tour of the Villa Hügel and the Landsberg Castle, the eventful history of the group was made tangible for us. The day showed me how important it is to know the history of a company and understand its traditions in order to be able to shape its future – in line with our motto: "Create (y)our future".

Self-Reflection

The final day – as already mentioned – was focused on self-reflection. It is a critical component of the ThyssenKrupp competence model, as it is first necessary to analyze our skills before they can be strengthened. Once again, my expectations were exceeded by this part of the itinerary. Not only was our attention drawn to aspects we were not that aware of beforehand; we also discussed and deepened our understanding of relevant issues in small groups. There is a lot that people aren't aware of until they try to explain it to others. Simply the questions others pose can open up new ways of seeing something and possible solutions. The way the workshop leaders supported us was especially positive. Thoughts that were raised or reawakened on that day, such as "What do I actually want to achieve and what can I achieve?" and "How do others actually see me?" are still with me today. Issues I can still work on are things like assertiveness, technical expertise and a confident demeanor. In fact, we had a lively discussion on the topic of assertiveness, with the question, “How do I actually assert myself?” being fundamental to our debate. I hope answers will be given during the course of the trainee program to the many issues that came up.

My Personal Summary

The three days of onboarding served their purpose. To stick with the theme of "getting on board", let me say that I am better aware of my role as sailor and I have gotten to know and appreciate the rest of the crew. We learned a lot about the ThyssenKrupp fleet and now know which port we've sailed from and which direction we're sailing toward over the next few years. We are also on board emotionally, so we can honestly say that we've arrived at ThyssenKrupp. I'm eagerly awaiting the next module, when we as a crew will be better prepared and grow even closer as a team, which in turn will enable us to keep the sails set in the right direction even through rough waters.