Matthias Walter

"Continental takes the preparations for working life very seriously"

Why did you decide to train at Continental?
The most significant reason for me was the size of the company and the resulting diversity in terms of potential work activities. On the one hand, you are faced with such a countless number of options when selecting activities during the practical stages of your studies, that it is easy to develop the impression that the future working environment of a business informatics specialist will be widely diverse. On the other hand, I hope that the size of the company will afford me improved chances to move up in my career.  I also find the prospect of gaining work experience abroad to be very appealing.
Another point to consider is that the dual study program is a relatively new branch of vocational training. Continental AG is one of only a few large companies that have long-term experience of working with dual students, which makes me feel that I am in good hands here.

How does Continental support you during the dual study program?
First and foremost, it is important for me to have a personal and reliable contact person with whom to discuss any concerns and issues. This contact person acts as a point of support throughout the course of the training and is also receptive to potential criticism.
Throughout the entire duration of the study program, the trainees participate in numerous different seminars and events, from an introductory presentation of daily working life to a weekly English lesson, and I find these particularly beneficial. These seminars can be demanding, but at the same time they stimulate our development.

What are your day-to-day duties?
The individual practical stages are based on a principle of rotation, allowing me to gain experience of various departments. It also means that each practical stage is different in terms of the tasks I am assigned. Examples of such tasks include working on the Continental AG website, collaborating on projects related to the upgrade of computer systems or developing a concept for a prospective, computer-supported working environment.

What tasks have you particularly enjoyed so far during your dual training program?
In my opinion, tasks always become particularly interesting when you can take personal responsibility for them. It provides you with the opportunity to utilize your own potential and develop it even further. One of my biggest challenges was the training course for employees from all over Europe on how to work with our Content Management System. The challenge for me was learning how to use the new software myself in just three weeks, developing a training concept and then presenting a four-hour long training course in English to a group of employees from all corners of Europe without any assistance.

Why would you recommend training at Continental?
As you can probably tell from my responses so far, I really like being able to take personal responsibility for things. Continental has provided me with this very opportunity. However, this is not the only reason I would give as a recommendation: the vocational training invests highly in seminars, training courses and events. You really get the feeling here that Continental takes the preparations for working life seriously. Assignments abroad, which are a compulsory part of the training course during the dual study program, or special projects that are assigned exclusively to the trainees, also make the training offered by Continental particularly appealing to students.

What skills are required in order to complete the dual training program successfully?
Perseverance and motivation are particularly important for the dual study program. In addition to the theoretical content, you often also acquire a certain amount of company-specific knowledge during the practical stages, which demands additional effort. It is also important that you demonstrate dedication and enthusiasm, because many of the opportunities the company has to offer only become available by proving your own performance and establishing new contacts.

How do you rate career opportunities at Continental?
Because of its size and the resulting variety of possible activities within the company, I think anyone that demonstrates motivation and commitment would have good career opportunities here. The global aspect is particularly interesting: the opportunity of gaining employment abroad and developing oneself further is always available.

How important is teamwork in your everyday work?
Teamwork is an essential part of our day-to-day work, especially within the IT environment, where there are always a lot of projects on the go. I have already worked on several projects myself, including global ones, and I can say without doubt that the ability to work as part of a team is an important prerequisite for the successful completion of any project. However, teamwork is not only required when working on a project. Particularly during the practical stages of the training, you meet several new colleagues with whom you are then required to work with.

How do you strike a balance between work, free time and family?
Prior to starting a dual study program, it is important to be aware that this kind of vocational training demands a lot of your time. I moved to Hanover from a different state to study, so I only see my family on rare occasions. However, no-one completes this study program alone and you quickly establish new contacts, both at the company and the academy, and these are the people you spend most of your free time with (which also means that you often end up discussing work issues even during your free time).

What do you do for recreation?
Since I was new to Hanover, I had to familiarize myself with the city and what it has to offer. I particularly enjoy spending time at recreational areas where I have access to the water, so I often spend my free time either at the nearby lakes or I go rowing on the river Ihme. If my work and studies permit, I also occasionally spend an evening enjoying the night life – mostly with my fellow Conti bachelors.