Translating theory into practice – that is one of Merve Civelekoglu’s goals. The 25-year-old works 16 hours a week as a student trainee for quality management at Vorwerk Engineering. For the Vorwerk Online Magazine she reports on her role at the company and whether her expectations of us as an employer are being met. After 100 days at Vorwerk, I asked Merve to draw an initial interim conclusion.
I was excited by the opportunity to put the rather theoretical knowledge from my course of study to practical use at an international company – and especially by the chance to learn new things in the process. Since I lived in Wuppertal for a time and it’s not far to Hagen, where I am currently studying, I applied to Vorwerk online and was then also quickly hired.
I was really surprised how quickly I received feedback after my online application. I’ve already experienced very different behavior when applying for other internships, and frequently never received any response at all. At Vorwerk, I was accepted within just a few days after my personal interview. Thus I was able to get started soon afterwards.
Firstly, the subject “quality management” is a component of my course of study in business informatics, which aroused a certain curiosity about this area on my part. Secondly, for me personally as a consumer, it is very important that I get high-quality products for my money with which I then have few problems. That’s why I find it exciting and challenging to manage and control this quality myself.
For me, a typical work day usually begins between 7.30 and 8.00 am. On the whole, I am free to divide up my work hours flexibly over the course of the week, provided I meet my total of 16 hours as a student trainee. That is very practical when it comes to balancing university and work.
The actual tasks are usually very diverse. To inspect Thermomix or Kobold appliances, I set up test systems, sometimes program them myself or measure and calculate voltage drops. The tasks that I am supposed to assume are assigned to me by my personal advisor.
Yes, exactly. My advisor is responsible for allocation of tasks to several student trainees on the team here. He supplies us with all the essential information when there are “to-dos” and also provides direct assistance if we have questions. The nice thing, however, is that it all takes place on an equal footing, and I immediately felt like a permanent member of the team.
Definitely. We are already expected to tackle and solve problems independently. But that is what I want, too. I want to try out lots of things in a practical setting and work out things independently which I can draw on in my future career.
One important point here at Vorwerk is that everyone is open to new ideas. I can approach problems without constraints and develop creative solutions. In the end, there’s always more than one way to reach the desired goal. I find that really exciting.
I want to try out lots of things in a practical setting and work out things independently which I can draw on in my future career.
What I really enjoy the most is the diversity and the opportunity to take on such a wide variety of tasks. For example, beyond the confines of my team, I am also in contact with service providers with whom we cooperate on test systems. Prior to my time at Vorwerk, I was involved strictly on the business end, which didn’t suit me at all because it is very monotonous work..
In addition, the whole engineering team is very cooperative and helpful – and when we spend our lunch break together, we sometimes have a good laugh, because we get along with one another really well.
To be honest, I haven’t had any negative impressions yet, and thus far it has all been a lot of fun. But I haven’t been at it for very long yet, so who knows? (laughs)
Yes, definitely. My goal wasn’t just to earn a little money on the side while studying. Rather, I wanted to learn something new – in a field of work that offers variety. My position here at Vorwerk meets these criteria.
Yes, that too. Until I started working here, I really didn’t know yet exactly where my career was headed. After all, the course of study in business informatics offers me a wealth of possibilities. My work at Vorwerk has reinforced my desire to continue working in quality management or at least in the electrical engineering sector. The job is more multifaceted than I thought and it’s a lot of fun.
Profile: Merve Civelekoglu is studying business informatics in the bachelor’s degree program at the University of Applied Sciences in Hagen. Because her course of study potentially leads to many different careers, the 25-year-old has already tried on many roles for size as an intern or student trainee at various companies. Merve has been supporting Vorwerk Engineering in quality management since January, 2019, and sees her interest in the electrical engineering aspect of her studies confirmed.