2023-03-08
Trainees around the globe
Many employees dream of working abroad, but at KION, they actually can. In our two-part series, we profile our KION Management Trainees, who travel to KION Group sites around the world for five months to actively support their colleagues on site. In part two, Nathalie Erlemann, Anu Rameshan and Shlok Gupta tell us about their assignment and why they value their time with their international colleagues so much.
Nathalie joined the KION Management Trainee Program in October 2021. After placements in Project Management and the Legal team at her home base Heusenstamm, she moved to Atlanta for her international section.
How long have You been a trainee at KION and in which position do You work?
My name is Nathalie Erlemann, I’m a Project Management Trainee with KION working at its brand Dematic and have been with the company since October 2021. My home is in Heusenstamm, Germany, where I worked in project management, the Legal team and continuous improvement for the first three sections of my trainee program.
Where are You currently working abroad and how are You supporting your colleagues on site?
For my international section I am working in our Global Project Management Office team in Atlanta, the headquarter of Dematic. I am involved in different internal process improvement initiatives including the setup of new business processes and tooling, the improvement of existing processes and process documentation. As we setup processes globally, I gain a lot of insights in regional differences within Dematic and work with colleagues in the US but also in Europe to streamline our internal process setup.
What was Your best experience both at work and in the country?
The major benefit for me while working in Atlanta was to meet all my US colleagues, being able to establish valuable relationships with them and learn a lot about the American culture and especially business culture within Dematic America. Working together across regions is essential for our internal collaboration and what better way to do that than by spending time with colleagues abroad? I also really enjoyed the experience of working in the headquarter since this is where major business decisions are being made and you can meet interesting and important people on a daily basis. Outside of work I really appreciated the experience of living in a shared flat with American roommates who showed me a lot about American culture, the area and the fun parts of living in the US. Visiting Grand Canyon and Zion National Park in a campervan, New York and the Smoky Mountains are only some of the highlights during my time here.
In her free time, Nathalie was traveling in a camper in Zion National Park together with her trainee colleague Larissa Heinz.
What could You learn from working in another country?
I love getting to know new cultures and making friends around the globe! I think one can only benefit from such an experience and it was a pleasure to encounter the kindness and openness of many Americans I met during my time here. The hands-on mentality is something that I’m sure I will benefit from in my future life and career as especially Germans tend to overthink and plan things before making decisions.
How do You feel about the possibility of doing part of Your traineeship abroad?
Going abroad should be part of every trainee program that takes place in a global organization. I think it is essential to form relationships and understand the different environments of colleagues oversees, fostering cross-regional communication which companies and individuals can only benefit from. I got to learn a lot both in terms of business and personally, enjoying the experience of living in another country comfortably with support from KION organizing my stay. The chance to go abroad was one of the main reasons for me to choose this program.
How did You prepare for your stay abroad? Do You have any tips for other trainees?
Start planning early! Take things into your own hands and try to establish valuable connections wherever you can - already before you leave. It will help you ease into your new surroundings and prevent last minute stress. Going abroad can’t be compared to an all-inclusive holiday so take the initiative wherever you can to organize your stay and with the support of KION it will turn out as an unique experience.
Your experience abroad in one sentence:
We live in a global world, take the chance to go abroad and make the most of it thinking especially about the things that you COULD NOT have experienced at home.
Anu started his KION Management Trainee Program in October 2021. His home base is the Electrical and Electronics Systems Engineering Development department in Aschaffenburg. For his stay abroad he moved to Antwerp to support his colleagues at KION Mobile Automation.
How long have You been a trainee at KION and in which position do You work?
I am a Research and Development Trainee at KION since October 2021. I have a Masters degree in Automotive Engineering from RWTH Aachen and a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from MG University, India. My home base is the Electrical and Electronics Systems Engineering Development department based in Aschaffenburg, where my mentor is Dr. Johann Fischer. Before moving abroad my cross-functional base was with Global Module and Platform Strategy.
Where are You currently working abroad and how are You supporting your colleagues on site?
As a part of the International Section of the Trainee program, I am currently working with KION Mobile Automation (KMA) in Antwerp. Prior to arrival in Antwerp, the colleagues had prepared a multi-faceted list of projects that I could work on. We had an open-exchange also with my mentor Andy Vercauteren so that we could get consensus about what my goals would be for my 5-month stint with KMA. Hence, we came to the very ambitious goal of my international section – “Bringing together KMA and Industrial Trucks & Services, both in terms of technology and organizational perspective”. This would mean understanding KMA R&D both from an organizational perspective, and also the technical architecture of an automated vehicle.
What was Your best experience both at work and in the country?
The people - both at work and in Belgium. It was a very warm welcome and I was put at ease. It was easy to integrate both at work and with the local community. At work I was introduced to the exciting world of automation. In my private life, I was able to make some very good friendships.
As part of a team-building event, Anu and his colleagues were axe-throwing in Antwerp.
What could You learn from working in another country?
One of the main goals of sending a trainee abroad is so that one can get to experience a different aspect of the vast KION world, understanding and appreciating the different styles of working and absorbing the foreign work-culture. Initially, when my international section location was announced to me, I was skeptical if it would fulfill these goals, as my only thought was could the working environment in two neighboring countries be realy different. My experience in the past four months, has taught me otherwise. In Antwerp I found a more dynamic distribution of responsibilities in comparison to Aschaffenburg where there is a stricter adherence to one’s role. A question I get asked often is which working style do I prefer. But I feel there is no one-better-than-other answer here and both organizations’ success can be attributed to its unique way of working which it has cultivated over the years.
How do You feel about the possibility of doing part of your traineeship abroad?
This was one of the main points which are attracted me to the KION Management Trainee program. It is a fabulous opportunity to network and gain new perspectives.
How did KION support You in planning?
KION has several teams involved in ensuring that the employees send abroad on assignments have everything setup in terms of migration. Apart from providing additional funds for accommodation, mobility and food, KION also arranged for an external consultant to deal with the intricate tax and migration laws in place. The consultants also arranged my registration at the Antwerp City Office after my arrival. The HR colleagues in Antwerp additionally provided me accommodation proposals. As it is usually difficult to get accommodation for a short period and the probability of getting scammed was high, the support of the local colleagues was invaluable.
How did You prepare for your stay abroad? Do You have any tips for other trainees?
I had the opportunity to visit Antwerp, the local business unit and the offices a week before my international base started. This helped me make decisions regarding the daily commute and accommodation even before I moved.
Your experience abroad in one sentence:
The chance to discover new dimensions of not just KION, its different operating units and local colleagues but also understanding more about what I want and don’t want.
_image_585x329.jpg)
Shlok started his KION Management Trainee Program in October 2021. After working in After Sales, Controlling and Product Management, he moved to Michigan for his international section.
How long have You been a trainee at KION and in which position do You work?
I‘m a KION Management Trainee at KION Mobile Automation since October 2021. During this program I’ve been part of four teams: Product Requirements Management, After-sales, Cross-OU Controlling and now Project Execution.
Where are You currently working abroad and how are You supporting your colleagues on site?
I’m currently working at the KION office in Holland, Michigan. I support the Project Execution team by creating a clear guidance for defining the roles and responsibilities, setting up task flow process for the project management group, checking project feasibility with the solution development team, and preparing an organizational flow chart highlighting the key tasks and interactions within project execution. In parallel, for the after-sales team, I’m preparing the business case for our analytics tool AGV Insights and developing a value-based pricing strategy for the same.
What was Your best experience both at work and in the country?
Networking and understanding the American outlook to our business. I also enjoyed exploring the country with my friends here.
In his spare time, Shlok was ski patrolling in Cannonsburg with fellow trainee Madison.
What could You learn from working in another country?
Understanding the differences in the business model, approach and customer profile of our Supply Chain Solutions and Industrial Trucks & Services segments.
How do You feel about the possibility of doing part of your traineeship abroad?
Fantastic! I wouldn’t have gained this kind of global exposure in any other role.
How did KION support You in planning?
KION helped in expediting the visa process. I got extended support which made my stay in the States more comfortable.
Do You have any tips for other trainees?
Plan ahead.
Your experience abroad in one sentence:
Highly enriching and extremely valuable!
The KION Management Trainee Program offers our young talents the unique opportunity to support colleagues around the globe and work on exciting projects. Nathalie, Anu and Shlok weren't the only ones on assignment abroad. In the first part of our series , Larissa and Louis told us about their exciting experiences. Would you also like to become part of the KION Group and travel to an international site as a trainee? Then apply now .
