My expectations before starting my first assignment were to be challenged and to assume responsibility early on, as well as to connect with and learn from an outstanding, highly skilled and motivated group of people associated with the FEP. I applied because the FEP seemed to meet my requirement of providing me with the ability to learn, develop personally, and contribute in the short term, as well as offering excellent career perspectives in the medium to long run.

The fact that my first day coincided with the annual FEP Summer Party gave me an excellent opportunity to meet many people involved in the program right away and experience what the FEP is all about. In addition, the great support of the FEP team made joining Siemens and getting used to the corporate culture quite easy. Weekly update meetings with my assignment manager were (and still are) very helpful in ensuring that I was able to integrate into the team and make a contribution right away.

So far, my experience has been that in return for expecting you to be very dedicated and hard-working, your personal needs are respected and given high priority. Working on a number of projects simultaneously has allowed me to work in different teams, meet people from different parts of the business, and understand their perspectives. As a result, I find myself facing the challenge of adapting my style of communication according to who I am working with or reporting to. Being part of a team that achieved Sector approval for an investment project worth several million Euros was both very challenging and rewarding as well as very exciting early on in my assignment.

I continue to be amazed by the opportunities that the FEP offers; most importantly, I would say that you have to be proactive in finding and exploiting these opportunities in order to be successful and make the most of these two years.

“Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.” – Thomas Alva Edison