We, Karsten Kirbach and Robbin Keller, are mechanical engineering students and currently in a internship at Voith Hydro Plant Engineering. We deal with a wide range of subjects and problems all around hydro power stations. Everything is covered - from cooling water systems design to analytical and numerical statistical calculations.

"We are fully integrated into the team
and always encouraged to contribute
new ideas."

While our educational background is slightly different (university and technical college) we are both constantly challenged and enjoy our work.

Our traineeship is complemented by a very pleasant working climate.

My name is Laura Geyer and I am studying business pedagogics at Mannheim University. During my two internships at Voith I had an opportunity to take on a wide range of tasks.

First I was asked to work in the HR development section of Voith Turbo and help with the organization and management of various employee development programs. Quick perception and PC skills were important prerequisites for this job. The proximity to the operative HR department also allowed me a first glance into application management.

In my second practice phase I then worked for the Personnel Marketing team of Voith Holding. This central department works on various national and international projects and is always looking for creative ideas. I therefore had an opportunity to contribute to the relaunch of the Careers Website: I wrote and edited copy, design initial page structures and participated in editorial meeting. Additionally I looked after spontaneous applications and assisted with university marketing projects and the preparation of training programs.

The wide variety of tasks was a positive challenge for me - the work was highly diverse and I was able to learn many new things - and the working atmosphere at Voith was very pleasant.

My name is Manuel Frey, I study industrial engineering and am currently writing my bachelor's degree thesis on the value analysis of Corporate Strategic Purchasing, which is incorporated in Voith Holding. My thesis deals with the development of a process time computer for the production process 'turning' within the technical product cost analysis. The processing times are elementary for the transparency of product cost structures and the identification of cost drivers and cost potentials. What really motivated me is that the process timer developed by me will be actively used in future. During the time of my bachelor thesis and my practical semester, which I completed at Voith, I got to know Voith as an innovative, globally active and employer-friendly company. This impression was confirmed when I was offered an opportunity to gather international experience at Voith Hydro in USA after finishing my thesis.

My name is Stefan Single. I study industrial engineering at Aalen University for Engineering and Economy, and I have completed my practical semester at the Strategic Purchasing Department at Voith in Heidenheim. Among my tasks is the participation in larger purchasing projects. I have therefore had contact with many Voith employees in a wide variety of regions. I was able to handle numerous tasks either independently or in cooperating with Voith colleagues. A particularly positive experience was the excellent integration into the department.

"After my practical semester at Voith I was offered to continue as a working student- an opportunity I was happy to accept."

Through a further traineeship at Voith in Shanghai I will be able to gather even more experience. I have regarded my time at Voith as highly valuable; it has helped my enormously with my professional and personal development.

My name is Maximilian Soost. In my 5th semester I was offered an international internship at the controlling department of Voith Paper in Kunshan (China).

The main project on which I spent most of my time at Voith Paper (China) was the set-up of a VPC(S) reporting system including a VBA-based Excel tool to create these reports monthly. This resulted in a total of nine reports (e.g. development of employees, over- / under-absorption of cost centers) which will assist the Management Board with further decision-making.

I am convinced that it was the right decision to apply for this traineeship at Voith. Not only did I learn a lot about controlling during these five months (I had no experience in this field before), but I also got to know great people and was confronted with a different culture. During my whole traineeship I had the feeling that I was always given just the right amount of work. At the beginning of my traineeship I familiarized myself with basic controlling procedures and Voith Paper guidelines by reading, until my mentor gave me the first small tasks after a few days. By gradually extending my responsibilities (starting with the cost center reports and ending up with the VPC(S) reporting), I was confronted by new subjects virtually all the time. What I liked was the result- orientated way of working in the department. I was free to choose on what I was working, as long as I met my deadlines.
Throughout the time I received fantastic support from all my colleagues in the controlling department and my mentor. Any questions I had were answered with patience, and I had two feedback talks: one after 6 and another one after 10 weeks. I am really pleased that I was able to make a small contribution to Voith Paper (China) with my project and that my reports and my reporting tool are already in use and will also be used in the future. One lesson I learned is that it is not always easy to transfer the theoretical knowledge acquired at university into practice. The huge amount of data can turn things, which sound very simple in class, into difficult issues when applied.

My name is Karsten Wenzke and I will shortly be completing my studies for a bachelor's degree in Mechanical engineering at the Fachhochschule Flensburg. I am completing my industrial placement assignment and my bachelor's thesis with Voith in Heidenheim. The placement site is a healthy 820 kilometers away, but the many and varied duties in the Research and Development department for Fluid Mechanics at Voith convinced me to come here.

My main task during my internship is to assist with the optimization of the Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP). Other areas where I am required to help include the development of new and alternative propulsion systems for ships in the various operational areas. These include tugboats, service vessels for offshore wind farms and drilling rigs to name just a few possible applications and scenarios.

My first day at work began with an introductory event with other student trainees, after which I was shown to my new workstation in the department. As I was being instructed in the most important programs and processes by my supervisor, it became clear that it would be several weeks before I mastered the principles of the software and could use it confidently. That had already been pointed out in my application interview, so it was neither a surprise nor a problem. I was also introduced to the whole department in the first week, so I was able to find my way around very quickly and felt more and more involved in the processes.

"As an industrial trainee in Research and Development I work in the realm of flow simulation and I can work with the most up-to-date equipment and software."

My activities as an industrial trainee begin where the work of the classic design engineer stops.
I receive a geometry, or create one myself, and read it into my program to configure it so that I can then optimize it quickly and easily. To do this, I have to create the design using as few as possible but still sufficient parameters. Only then can the actual flow simulation start.

Then comes the final documentation, with validation, evaluation and a summary report of the project, all in close consultation with my supervisor. We are also working together to refine this process further and to classify the results. Through it all, my supervisor is always ready to hear my questions and answers them fully. Through working together closely and discussing my questions every day I am gaining insights into many areas of activity of an engineer. At the same time, independent working is desired and is encouraged. All in all, I am receiving the benefit of much experience, learning methods for approaching questions, and instruction in precise working habits which will stand me in good stead for the future.

Of course every workday also has a lunch hour, which I enjoy spending with other interns and student trainees, sharing experiences and talking about my tasks in the staff canteen, or sometimes even in the Heidenheim Inner City.

In closing, I would like to say that I have enjoyed my industrial placement very much and that it has far exceeded my expectations. This was definitely helped by the excellent working atmosphere in the department and the great variety of engineering activities I was required to carry out.