Saskia Fischmann 

"Continental gives me the opportunity to learn and become independent."

How long have you worked at Continental?
I started as a student trainee at Continental in March 2008.

How did you find out about Continental?
I study at the Technical University in Regensburg and found a trainee position at Continental in a jobs newsletter from the university. Because I wanted to work as a student trainee, I inquired about this kind of jobs and then sent off my application. A few days later, I was invited for interview and I started at Continental two weeks after that.   

Why did you decide to take a position at Continental?
I definitely wanted to work as a student trainee at a large company in Regensburg. Continental is one of the largest employers in the region, and was a natural company for me to apply to.

What are your day-to-day duties?
I support colleagues in coordinating the student trainees, from their arrival until when they leave the company.  

Why would you encourage others to train with Continental?
Continental offers young people the opportunity to work relatively independently from a very early stage. This results in a very steep learning curve after a short amount of time. Also, the support for interns and student trainees is excellent.

Which skills do people need to work successfully at Continental?
Flexibility is a central factor. You also need to be unafraid of change. The ability to work and think independently is also important.   

How do you rate the career opportunities at Continental?
I have often heard that dedicated employees have been promoted quickly and so I think there are excellent opportunities for career advancement here.   

How important is teamwork for you?
Teamwork is a central factor. Without the ability to work with other people, you will find it very difficult in today’s workplace. Apart from that, working in a team is fun. 

Have you had any international experience? How important are experiences like that?
Unfortunately, I haven’t done a semester or an internship in another country yet. But I think this kind of experience is very important these days. It makes you more open to change – a quality that I think is more sought-after than ever before.  

How do you strike a balance between university, work, free time and family?
At the moment, I am working on the dissertation for my Masters degree, which naturally is very time-consuming. But that’s no problem at Continental, as they respond very flexibly to the individual employees (student trainees). I think it’s fine for free time to have to take a back seat during stressful periods. At the end of the day, to get ahead in your career, you have to make sacrifices.  

How do you spend your free time?
I have my own horse. It’s a very time-consuming hobby. At stressful times, there's hardly any time left for other activities.