1. Siemens: Where the values mean everything
Verantwortungsvoll – Exzellent – Innovativ
(Responsibility – Excellence – Innovation)
During my work placement, I have seen how these values are seen daily in all the tasks.
Siemens is globally known and has an astounding reputation. With a local footprint in
over 190 countries and hundreds of millions spent on training and education of
employees worldwide, Siemens is the place to be! Although, when I arrived for my
interview, I was informed that I had two; one that was in English and one in German!
Despite this – if you are not a language student and have very little ability to speak
German – kein Problem! As I found out (especially working within an international
department), sometimes English is what is required and valued.
Doing my placement in Germany has given me such a wider outlook and will hopefully
give me so many more opportunities internationally when searching for careers in the
future.
Whether you are working in a team or alone, everyone has their own responsibility
within roles. The responsibility can change daily as to something as small as booking a
room for a meeting in the future, to taking on the major role in a project. Being given
tasks left, right and centre is something I think all interns can associate with, and when it
comes down to it, the interns are respected for this in Siemens! The saying, “Contrary to
popular belief, there most certainly is an "I" in "team". It is the same "I" that appears
three times in "responsibility”” (Amber Harding), can be adapted within the world of
Siemens. As you do the smaller tasks that you are given you are helping out the next
person in the chain (and so on and so forth). This is the team that you work in, and as a
team you take on this responsibility to achieve each ultimate goal.
One thing that has been critical in all of the tasks is excellence in everything we do here
at Siemens. There are numerous times that things have to be edited over and over again
until it is perfect. The thing that is most important is to always maintain the motivation.
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” (Sir
Winston Churchill) To reach the target, sometimes you have to go through multiple
mistakes before completion. ‘Heimbach’s Mappe’ is something in our department that is
corrected time after time, in order to give such a good impression of the team within CC
(Corporate Communications).
In regards to innovation, Siemens continues to strive with evermore projects in every
region, in order to cover all angles. With 8,600 inventions in Fiscal 2011 and now four
divisions (Energy, Healthcare, Industry and Infrastructure and Cities), Siemens is
certainly a company for innovation, that is creating a sustainable world. After working
very closely with the project ‘Proud to be Siemens’, I got to know many employees
worldwide that spoke of how they felt so privileged to be working for Siemens. One story
I will always remember which mentioned how this woman was an anthropologist, but yet
Siemens gave her a position to work within communications. Siemens had seen the
potential within them, and that they could be part of this Siemens family, to create
sustainable value.
As a ‘Praktikant’ currently at Siemens AG, I am proud to be working for this company
and would be happy to consider a career path with them in the future. As a colleague; I
feel wanted, as an intern; I feel needed, and as a student; I feel satisfied with the work
placement.
Craig Clarke 19016935 International Business Studies
with German