Survival Kit Vocational Training  „My ambition has helped me a lot on my way“

Maike is training to be an automotive mechatronics technician for systems and high-voltage technology.In our survival kit, she talks about the future of her sector and how she balances vocational school, work and evening school. 

The biggest cliché about your apprenticeship – and what’s true about it:

Where more technical and hands-on professions are concerned, you frequently hear that they aren’t suitable for women. However many colleagues in my department are far more open-minded now than people used to be, and many of them want to resist this cliché. But I’ve also been subjected to comments at work, for example that I wouldn’t be given any heavy work, that they wouldn’t be confident in my ability to do it. That was exactly what I didn’t want, and I worked so much and so hard that the line managers and senior engineers were impressed. The cliché was wrong, because my impression is that women tend to work even harder to prove it to everyone. In some cases they even want to be better than men in the same job.

What’s your normal daily routine? 

In the morning we generally go to get changed first of all, then we clock in and look to see what tasks there are to do. After all I don’t work in an independent garage, where vehicle mechanics are primarily responsible for car maintenance and repair, I work in a factory. We’re on job rotation, which means we learn the different development steps on the individual vehicle components. We move round to a different position every five to six months, for instance electronics, production, test centre. We’re then usually allocated to someone, and we support them. At the moment we’re not doing that much ourselves, it’s more learning and helping. We learn a lot of new stuff thanks to the time we spend in job rotation, and personally I find that fantastic. It allows me insight into a wide variety of areas. After work I attend evening classes at college to complete my technical diploma course. 

What could you not have done without in your apprenticeship?

I wouldn’t have been able to manage without the huge support of my training supervisors and my family. I used to be a little unsure of myself, but now thanks to the positive feedback from my supervisors and the sympathetic handling of my questions, I’ve gained self-confidence. I can also turn to them for advice if something didn’t go too well at college. It’s so important to have people you can trust and go to for support. 

Which day of your apprenticeship will you never forget?

I was a course-switcher, in other words I started training as a production mechanic and then I embarked on retraining to become a vehicle mechatronics engineer through the talent programme. I’ll never forget the day I found out I was allowed to join the mechatronics team. I thought: wow, I’m being given yet another new opportunity! The field of system and high-voltage technology is becoming increasingly important because of electric car production. It’s something for the future. 
What would you do differently if you could start your apprenticeship all over again?

I would have gone down the same route. I knew at an early point that I wanted to do something involving engines, maybe with the goal of going into development at some point. I was 16 when I decided to work at BMW. And because I was still so young, that was the right way to start. Now I’ve made contacts with production mechanics and vehicle mechatronics specialists. The right path just unfolded in front of me – because whenever I had doubts I knew I could get support. 

What was the biggest challenge?

The fact that I joined the vehicle mechatronics engineers a bit later. They already had an established group there, and I felt a bit left out to begin with. But I’ve been accepted now, and have friends amongst the vehicle mechatronics engineers – as well as a few who are production mechanics. In the period when I was transferring I had concerns as to whether it was really the right thing for me, but it all quickly became clear.

Was there a steady source of comfort for you to turn to?

I received a lot of support from my training supervisors, but also from my current maths teacher, with whom I can speak freely about anything. I think if it hadn’t have been for her, I wouldn’t be the person I am now, a person who can give such commitment to the apprenticeship.

What do you do to switch off and enjoy some “me” time?

In my spare time, I often meet up with my friends and with my sister, who lives in Stuttgart. We enjoy going on bike rides or just chatting. My free time is already limited, one reason being the evening classes, but that’s okay. I know why I’m doing it.

What did you eat when you were running low on funds?

Fortunately, I’ve never had money problems. I learned to save at home, and the trainee wage is very good at BMW too. 

What are you proud of?

I’m particularly proud that I’ve always continued to be “me”. As a little girl I was eager for knowledge right from the start. I was always the one who was interested in everything. Of course I’m also proud that I had the opportunity to be retrained through the talent programme – that doesn’t happen often. My ambition has helped me a lot on my way. At some point I realised I have to fight for my success. I’ve done really well in that respect so far, I think.

What’s your takeaway so far for the future?

Most of all what I know thanks to the apprenticeship is what it’s like to really go to work for eight hours a day. And I can understand that all that hard work is sometimes necessary if you’re hoping to lead a certain life. In my opinion, it’s important that you love your work. If that wasn’t the case for me, I’d look for something else. 

Were there moments when you’d rather have gone to university or done something else?

At the moment I’m doing my Abitur part-time alongside my job, and after that, I’d like to continue my education and start a degree course as well. At first, I thought that a degree might have been the better option, but I’m really settled in my apprenticeship now. So I think it really was the right choice. I’ve got experience in the profession now and I understand the meaning of work. If I end up having to get a holiday job to make ends meet, that will be very useful.