From a training program to a leadership position at Continental.
Our colleague, Aleksandra, briefly describes her career development from her trainee position as a last-year student to a leadership position and her perspective on how a team should be led.
Towards the end of my studies, I saw a Continental ad on the internet. There was an opportunity for final-year students to apply for a training program that was intended for young people without much experience, aimed at acquiring basic knowledge and skills related to working in an international company. That seemed interesting to me and after a little research on Continental as a company, I decided to sign up.
I became part of the first ProDrive® internship program in 2013 and began my career at Continental, within the logistics sector. I don't remember exactly what the first working day looked like, except of course the excitement of starting a professional career in an international company. What I remember about the very beginning of my work at Continental is the terminology that people around me used. I had the impression that they spoke in a language I did not understand. They used various abbreviations that I had not encountered until then. After they explained the meaning of these terms to me, I adopted this terminology, which we all still use in everyday communication.
After completing the internship program, I focused on one part of logistics that deals with production planning. As the logistics team expanded, the possibility of further progress towards a leadership position opened up. I have been in the position of Supervisor since mid-2017 and have led a team of people responsible for production planning. In early August 2020, I accepted a new position as Coordinator for Production Planning and Customer Support and look forward to an expanded team and new challenges.
Working in a leadership position is certainly an interesting, but also a responsible job. I like the dynamics and challenges that come with that position. Although these challenges often bring with them stress and pressure, with good organization and a good team they can be overcome. I think the leader is as successful as his team. I try to be consistent in my work and to support the people on the team when they need it, but also to leave them enough freedom and challenges for their development. Because we work in a dynamic environment that requires the flexibility of all of us, we often say in our daily work that there are no problems for us in logistics, but only challenges.
