September 9, 2019

Student trainee, intern or bachelor thesis at RHF? – Why ‘or’?!

With the right knowledge, dedication and initiative, a student career at Reilhofer KG can take you as far as Sweden …

Cora Schiemenz joined Reilhofer KG as a student trainee in 2017, then completed her mandatory industry internship and has been writing her bachelor thesis since summer 2019, with our company as her practical partner. We wanted to find out what motivates Cora, how she perceives the practical experience, and what insight she has gained as a student trainee into a career at RHL.

RHF: Cora, you are studying engineering physics at the Munich University of Applied Sciences. What made you choose this course?
Cora: It was clear at an early stage that I would do something in natural sciences. That’s why I enrolled in the physics programme at LMU Munich. But I noticed quite quickly that the practical side was missing. So I switched to the University of Applied Sciences, also in Munich. I am still very happy that I made that decision. It teaches me to use the physics I have learned in an engineering context. And although it focuses on physics, the course also has subjects like informatics, measurement technology, materials technology and electrical engineering, which makes it extremely varied and diverse.

RHF: How did you end up at Reilhofer KG?
Cora: As so often, it was a stroke of luck and word of mouth. A friend advised me to apply here. This was after I had told him that I would like to swap my casual job for one that was closer to what I was actually studying, that would teach me some technical aspects and would maybe help me to grow as well. It really was a coincidence that there was a vacancy for a student trainee at RHF in the technical documentation and translation department, which was a great introduction to the work here.

RHF: You joined RHF as a student trainee in 2017 and then completed your internship semester in August 2018. In which field were you able to acquire particular expertise?
Cora: I learned a whole lot more about the technology during my six-month industry internship. Signal recording and the necessary sensors were the main areas of my work, and I even had the opportunity to go out ‘into the field’. Not only did my time as a student trainee and intern help me to improve my skills in less familiar areas like the details of engine and transmission design, I was also able to develop and apply the theoretical knowledge I had acquired at university, for instance in sensor and measurement technology, electrical engineering, the mechanics of vibration and a variety of data analysis methods. It’s great that you get to experience so many departments and to learn how the colleagues there work. You acquire a deeper understanding that way and are able to grasp workflows and how everything fits together. I like the fact that my experience is not restricted to a brief glimpse into one department. Instead I can see the bigger picture and have a better feel for our products and customer requirements. Many of the tasks are completed as a team, so I was able to practice and build on my soft skills like communication, teamwork, initiative and time management in a practical setting.

RHF: Now you are busy completing your bachelor thesis here. Do you have plans for the future that go beyond this project?
Cora: It’s true. I decided to complete my bachelor thesis here. I feel at home at the company and am fascinated by its work. The managers and my colleagues gave me a lot of encouragement and support as soon as I made the decision. For example, I have already travelled to Sweden to conduct my own measurements at Volvo Car. Reilhofer KG gives me the opportunity to develop and change as a person. I am currently thinking about what to do once I’ve completed my thesis. Two things that appeal to me are a master’s in micro and nanotechnology, perhaps followed by another period abroad. Looking further ahead, I would like to be in a job that gives me space to develop and in which I can accept responsibility, for instance in project management.