At the conclusion of G10, our students participate in a mandatory two-week work experience program with employers in and around Erlangen. This invaluable opportunity allows them to put into practice the skills and concepts they have acquired throughout their academic journey. Work experience serves as a stepping stone for our students, empowering them to expand their understanding of potential career paths while honing crucial skills and social competencies required in a professional setting. Moreover, it provides a platform for them to establish meaningful connections and build a network of invaluable business contacts.
Timo, who was working at adidas in the outdoor department – first week in sports marketing, second week in Brand communications, shared his experience: “Working there was really fun for me. Even though I still don’t know exactly what career I want, working at a big corporation gave me an insight into the processes and rules that need to be followed. It helped me figure out the kind of work environments I like and the ones I don’t. Everyone was nice and friendly; the culture is polite and welcoming. Even though this is a German company, everyone spoke English. I had the chance to create my own marketing campaign for a pair of shoes. This was really fun.”
Henry’s career ambitions are to work in urban planning, and he worked at a travel agency. “My work experience reassured me to go into urban planning. It showed me how much I enjoy the planning aspect of the job, like figuring out logistics within traveling and understanding the financial part. I also encountered some unexpected moments. For instance, I had to re-write travel suggestions multiple times before clients truly understood what they wanted to do. It made me realize that customers often need to see different options before they can make up their minds. My advice to students looking for work experience: Don’t be afraid to directly contact the places you’re interested in working at. There’s a good chance they’ll be open to accepting you.”
Simran worked at the Friedrich Alexander Universität biology section and was able to confirm her subject choices during the work experience: “In the future, I want to go into biology and research, my subject choices are also built around this idea. If you’re not sure about your future path, choose a work experience place that aligns with your subjects. It’s the best way to confirm if it’s really what you want to do. I was torn between art and science, and my work experience showed me that science is what I want to do. Biology is definitely a field I want to work in. My best experience was working with a postdoc who was doing a lesson with dissection which I got to see and she explained the details to me. This was really exciting. I was also able to network and received contact details of a master’s student, she was very helpful, shared her experience, and explained different study paths in Germany.”
