My story at LEONI
My name is Benny and I have been working for LEONI since January 2022. I completed a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering at the University of Applied Sciences in Kempten before embarking on a master's degree in Innovation Management at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg (FHWS). I came across LEONI through a practical project I undertook in collaboration with FHWS. The project was a communication project where internal communications were evaluated with the help of surveys and workshops before defining measures; some initial measures have already been implemented.
While the project was ongoing, I applied for a working student position in Advanced Development, and I was very happy when I was accepted. Since then, I have been supporting the Ideation/Strategy/Intellectual Property team for two days a week, primarily in costing and cost evaluation for innovation projects.
This is my job
What inspires me most is the variety I’m offered. My work, which often involves Excel, also includes assignments that really belong to a completely different subject area; for instance, I was given the task recently of preparing a training video with the aim of better conveying the subject matter on which we are working in my team. For me as a working student, in particular, it is very valuable to be able to try out different things and to gain experience in this way.
My daily routine
Start of the day
My day always starts at home with simply a large mug of coffee. I then either drive to the office in Kitzingen and walk to the desk I have booked, or I sit down at my desk at home. I usually start work between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m., in the office I first check where my colleagues are sitting, and I greet them. I then reply to unanswered emails and check the day’s appointments.
Morning
After the emails I tackle the pending tasks, for example reviews of a cost calculation or updates of data for evaluations or overviews in Excel. I also have a set day with my line manager once a week to give him a brief status update on my current tasks and to discuss with him what is upcoming soon.
Lunch break
During the lunch break we often go to the canteen in Kitzingen as a team; alternatively, if I am working from home, I go to the university canteen with my roommates. But the food at LEONI is a lot better. What I particularly like is the focus on regional products, the variety of dishes on offer and the salad bar. After a walk on the company grounds, we return to our workplace.
Afternoon
In the afternoon I mainly deal with projects, such as the improvement of individual tools in Excel that we need for the calculation of costs and the business case evaluation. Sometimes the projects lie outside costing, for example a competition analysis or preparing a workshop. In other words, you can be guaranteed never to get bored. Quite the opposite, the work is really varied.
Evening
I finish work at around 5 p.m. As a counterpoise to work and study I have discovered road cycling, and so I often go for a spin in the evening, preferably with friends.
My highlight
Probably my most exciting and at the same time most challenging moment happened as part of our practical project at LEONI. At FHWS, we students in the CTO unit (= LEONI’s technology department) were given the opportunity to present our topic at an online event in front of around 900 people. Unfortunately, the technology went on strike for some of it, my heart was in my throat, and it was quite a challenge for me to remain calm and continue with the presentation. Despite all the obstacles, the feedback we received at the end was very positive, and the content struck a chord with many and really interested them. Our fellow students appreciated the fact that a lot of work had gone into the project, and the technology strike did not harm the result.
My view of LEONI as an employer
My decision to join LEONI as an employer was based on the prospect of multifaceted learning opportunities here as a working student. Having joined an all-round great team as well as the attractive terms, such as salary and vacation, reaffirmed my choice even more. In particular, the insights already gained through a practical project with FHWS and having met some of the team members made my decision that much easier, given that there was a mutual liking.
The work culture at LEONI, and especially so in my team, is characterized by open interaction, which I particularly appreciate. As a working student I am at all times treated like a fully-fledged team member, and we communicate as equals. In my opinion, the opportunity to ask questions at any time contributes considerably to a pleasant work environment.
In three words, LEONI as an employer is to me dependable, exciting, and varied.