"Throughout the entire evaluation procedure, I felt that I was being seen as an equal, and that I mattered as a person, as much as my qualifications and abilities."

My name is Alex and I've been an engineering trainee at Boehringer Ingelheim since September 2013. This is my first job since leaving university, and my position as a trainee has allowed me to work in various departments of the company. 

My way to Boehringer Ingelheim

I studied industrial engineering with a technical focus on chemical and process engineering. I had always wanted to get into the chemical or pharmaceutical industries after university, so Boehringer Ingelheim was always at the top of my list of potential employers.

My typical working day at Boehringer Ingelheim

There is no such thing as a typical day for me. As a trainee, I get to see different departments of the company and I am currently in my fourth posting. But no matter where I work, it is nice to be given real responsibility from the start. I find that incredibly motivating! I have been leading projects to gather suggestions for potential optimisations. We were given the chance to present them to the management and convince them of their merit. And we actually succeeded, which meant that managers backed us and took our suggestions on board!

That's why I work for Boehringer Ingelheim

As I said, I had always wanted to be in the chemical or pharmaceutical industries, so Boehringer Ingelheim was high on my list. The assessment centre already impressed me: it was so different from what I was familiar with in other companies. Not just the friendly communication, but also the fair and transparent process. Throughout the entire evaluation procedure, I felt that I was being seen as an equal, and that I mattered as a person, as much as my qualifications and abilities.

Before applying for the job, I had of course researched the company – and to see that what I had read was true was a positive surprise. I realised that individual responsibility and personal initiative are valued, and I feel that I can really make a difference for the better here.

I am also continually impressed by the culture of openness in the company. Not only have I been able to experience different departments, but the atmosphere is always friendly and respectful. I was always welcome to share my knowledge or ask questions, so I learned a lot, which is of course what I wanted as a trainee. I also found that my views as someone looking in from the outside were valued. My questions are sometimes used as an incentive to evaluate processes and potentially rethink and even adapt them. I found that really fascinating.

Why Boehringer Ingelheim?

I love being able to learn about so many different aspects of the business. There is also a so-called “Trainee Circle”, where several trainees at Boehringer Ingelheim from various sites communicate. At least once a month, we organise a telephone conference and tell each other about our experiences of different areas. This gives us invaluable insights into other fields such as HR, marketing or controlling. We also hold leadership talks with managers from all kinds of departments. Again, it is this culture of openness that makes such a difference – and I really like that!