The beginning of a long journey - starting in Seville
My name is Gerrit and I am 21 years old. I started my dual study program in Business Administration at Continental in September 2019. During one of my practical assignments during my studies, I was assigned to the Tire Replacement Area Germany for the first time. During the practical phase, it already became clear to me that I definitely want to work in this area after graduation - and this wish became a reality.
Since June of this year, I am now working in my new position as an Area Sales Manager in the North-West sales region of Germany. In my daily business I travel around my sales district and look after a wide variety of customers on site. Last week I had the great opportunity to participate in a sales training seminar in Seville. The focus was on the introduction of our brand-new Generation 5 truck tires, but for me personally, the exchange with colleagues from the various European markets was a particular highlight of the event. I was able to get to know many new colleagues and meet old acquaintances at the same time. That was exactly one of my original reasons for coming to Continental: the internationality, diversity and connectedness across the globe. And that's exactly what I got to feel at this event - already on the first evening I had dinner together with colleagues from Finland, Denmark and Italy. It was a great experience and at the same time a great opportunity to broaden my own horizons and build up my network within the company - even if I was a bit nervous at the beginning, as I was by far the youngest participant. Especially the exchange about the individual challenges and requirements in the respective markets helped me a lot to improve my business understanding. I was also able to transfer many aspects and topics from my international colleagues to my own everyday work.
Finally, it was simply a great event! I am very grateful and happy to have been able to experience something like this at such a young age. With Continental as an international employer, I have often heard and felt that all doors are open to you and that the employees feel very comfortable. I am glad to be part of the Continental family!
