Two are better than one Onboarding at two locations

You’ve had an exciting time starting with us and getting into the dual study program. How is the entry into the dual study program at the Chemnitz office and at college regulated?

Linus: Actually, the start was much more relaxed than I had expected. I had also talked about this beforehand with an old classmate. We both agreed that there is a lot of weeding out in the first semester and only those who are really keen and want to complete their studies stay on. So I was curious to see how tough the start would really be. In the end, the excitement was rather unfounded. Things got off to a fairly moderate start and everyone was brought up to speed together and prepared for the various topics. To make this possible, we initially spent a lot of time in Glauchau. At times, there were several days a week when you had to be in Glauchau from 8 am to 5 pm every day. Sometimes it’s really difficult when you have to spend 8 hours a day on intensive material that also requires you to think. Nevertheless, the beginning of my studies was interesting for me. It is quite different to learn together in a class with age groups of 18-30 years and also to get to know the life stories and experiences of the individual people. The first three months at college flew by and the exams came sooner than expected. The switch to Arineo and working in the office from January onwards was something completely different to studying at the college.

That sounds exciting and thrilling. How did you prepare for your first day in the office, and how was your first day in Chemnitz?

Linus: I didn’t actually prepare much at all. I didn’t know exactly what my tasks would be and to what extent I would be directly involved. I had met a few colleagues beforehand during the job interview and when picking up all the hardware. We were able to exchange some information then, but more specific tasks were not yet defined at that time. Actually, on the first day, I mainly completed introductory tasks. I was initially introduced to the colleagues who were present and we had a brief chat. Afterward, I went on a short tour of the site and had my first conversation with my supervisor, Sven. Together, we defined the initial tasks and discussed how the first week would unfold. The tasks mainly consisted of training sessions and getting to know various policies, but there were also initial insights into Microsoft D365 Finance and Operations.

Did you have any particular challenges or expectations for your first day, and if so, were they met?

Linus: No, not really. Neither specific expectations nor challenges. Just the hope of being warmly welcomed and provided with enough engaging tasks. Both definitely worked out great!

How was your initial experience at the Chemnitz office, and how was the onboarding process? Have you already been able to take on your first tasks?

Linus: The initial period was actually quite unspectacular. As already mentioned, it was mainly about various training sessions and policies, but also smaller introductory tasks. There were many tasks relating to the Microsoft Dynamics 365 interface, particularly focusing on various areas such as customers or orders. In general, the introduction was quite relaxed and laid-back. Of course, in a new corporate environment, there are always rules and guidelines that need to be worked through accordingly. Beyond that, however, the relationship with the new colleagues was very pleasant. Everyone was very helpful and tried their best to assist me. This made me feel welcome very quickly and it was easy for me to ask questions freely. Even if I should still have asked more often.

Thank you for sharing your insights into the start of your dual study program, Linus.

Chemnitz is a great location for dual studies. However, most of our trainees work in Göttingen. It’s inconvenient; the exchange is difficult. Or is it? We also asked Linus about this. Stay tuned.