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How did you first come into contact with ThyssenKrupp?

I first came into contact with ThyssenKrupp when I’d finished my studies and I was looking around for work. I’d already done a number of different internships at big companies during my studies and I was really interested in ThyssenKrupp as a technology company. So when I saw the ad in the newspaper I decided to apply and the company invited me to a 1-day assessment center. I got through the assessment center really well and was invited for another interview. They wanted to speak to me about an 18 month traineeship at ThyssenKrupp Materials International working in the area of services.

Which areas and subsidiaries have you already got to know?

During the 18 month ThyssenKrupp trainee program, they sent me off to a number of places. I worked in a variety of locations. It started with a two month period in Services where my job started originally. Then I went on to a number of subsidiaries to get to know the company a bit better. So at first I was in Hamburg for a month, then I had two months in Bremen. Later I was away again for two weeks in Erfurt, also in Germany –  the aim was not only to get to know all the different areas and their main activities but also how all the customers fit together. In each department I worked in, I had different areas of responsibility – by which I mean projects – and I got to finish them off while I was there. After my time in Erfurt I then went to Birmingham in England for three months as my traineeship had an international focus and later I also went to France. In addition I spent time working in two departments at the headquarters. One of them then hired me for a permanent position.

I’ve learned about so many new things at ThyssenKrupp. I’ve also had supplementary training. Not just to get to know the structures within each region, but also different customer groups and sectors of industry – the sort of training that builds on and expands your knowledge. I also got to build up a strong network of international contacts which has helped me a lot in the area I work in now.

How would you describe your current role within the team you work in?

My role within the team I’m working in now is a bit like this: I was taken on in an area called Corporate Development - although my main focus is still on services which is the area I was trained to work in as part of my traineeship. Within that role, I’m a member of a project team that only looks at services. It looks at things like processes at our domestic companies and foreign companies, documenting and pinpointing differences. What we do is to show how processes could be improved and how structures could be organized more effectively.

What have you decided to do about your position after the trainee program?

In order to decide what to do about my position after the trainee program I thought about whether I would prefer to work on a strategic level or whether I’m more of a front-line person. I worked out that I really enjoy the day to day operative work at a subsidiary level and can see plenty of opportunities to develop my career. Overall, though, I’d prefer to work on more strategic issues. I’ve worked on a variety of tasks in this area such as foreign subsidiary financial accounting and even corporate development itself. That’s what my current job is about and right from the very first I’ve had some really interesting tasks to work on. From the moment I started, I’ve been actively involved in all sorts of projects within this area. I’ve been given plenty of opportunities to really make a contribution, and I have been given the feeling that I can use the skills and knowledge I learnt during my studies and also call upon the network of contacts I built up during my traineeship. The sub-project I’m working on at the moment goes back again to my experiences in the area of Services. Everything taken together, it feels like it’s just the right place for me. I believe that I’ve made the right decision.

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