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Trainee Program: myth and reality
Lei • 2.November, 2007 @ 10:42 • Abgelegt unter: Forschung und Entwicklung
- What is a standard trainee program?
There is no such thing. Some trainees have 6-7 trainee stations, some have only 3-4. Some trainees never have a corporate station at Schillerhöhe, the corporate headquarter, some have more than one. There is also no rule, when one does what. There are countless possibilities at Bosch, the advantage a trainee has, is to really utilize the program to get to know the different functions and/or different business units of the company.
- Here is what I have (business unit and function):
1st station: Corporate Research (Schillerhöhe): research
2nd station: Corporate Research (Schillerhöhe): research
3rd station: Automotive Electronics: development
4th station: China: production
5th station: Automotive Electronics: sales or project management
- Will I be a manager after the program?
Even though the trainees have high profile at the company, becoming manager directly after the program is not very common. Sometimes one gets a project management position (which does not have personnel responsibility), sometimes one gets an assistant position, more often, one becomes a high level associate – a normal position. Some mentors do not encourage trainees taking up management position right after the program, for good reasons: without much experience and know-how in the field, one can hardly be a convincing leader. And most trainees are fresh out of university and have limited industrial experience. Of course there are exceptions here as well.
Trainee program should be considered a key, a key to open the gate to top management of the company. We have the easiest access to top managers at the company (read my next blog, you’ll see what I meanJ), we are offered the best opportunity to see different things, to compare and to choose.
That is, with this key, you would still have to find the right doors to unlock. Nothing is handed to you, but when you have the will, you will find your way.
