Hear from our Trainees in Germany
OUR YOUNG HOPES: Philipp Rupp
Philipp joined Sika Germany as a trainee on 1st October 2017. He studied business administration at the Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences (Management and Sales Industry).
We wish him all the best in his professional development and successful application of his knowledge and skills.
PHILIPP RUPP, 28, GERMANY
Why did you decide to study Business Administration?
This was due to my curiosity and interest in sales. In addition to the basics of business administration, the focus of this course was on sales management. After completing my Bachelor's degree I was sure that I wanted to work in sales. So for my Master's degree I decided to study "Management and Markets" at the University of Siegen, where I could round off my acquired knowledge with a mixture of business administration and economics.
Why Sika?
Especially for roles in sales, I see a trainee program as the perfect way to get to know the company itself, the different departments, the entire process and products, etc. My initial positive impression of Sika was confirmed during the friendly interview for the sales trainee program. I was particularly impressed by the versatility of the trainee program and the subsequent areas of deployment. From the very beginning I was sure that the trainee program at Sika would enable me to learn a lot of new things and develop personally.
How do you like working for Sika so far?
I am very happy to have started my professional life with Sika's trainee program. In my 12 months as a trainee I was able to gain a lot of positive impressions about the company. I particularly appreciate the way the employees interact with each other. I have never seen such a positive and helpful attitude in a company before. I am also grateful to have met so many nice colleagues who shared their knowledge with me every day. As a trainee, I was able to pass through three different "Target Markets" and learned a lot about the products as well as the sales processes. I feel very comfortable in my new job and enjoy working for Sika every day.
What do you expect in your new job?
Since completing the 12-month trainee program in October 2018, I have been working as Key Account Manager Export Industrial Coatings in my preferred area of "Corrosion and Fire Protection“. The team has been very welcoming, so I already felt comfortable in the first few months. I am now responsible for the export of corrosion and fire protection products in large parts of Eastern Europe. Many challenges await me in this job and I look forward to tackling them successfully. The increased responsibility that is given to you at Sika is clearly noticeable. I have already learned a lot from my experienced colleagues and would like to continue to use this opportunity to expand my experience. I expect many exciting, but at the same time challenging, tasks in this role. And I am also happy to have the opportunity to experience the international aspect of a job with Sika.
What are your plans for the future?
First of all, I would like to successfully gain a foothold in my new job and complete my tasks to my complete satisfaction. I would also like to master the upcoming tasks and challenges in the best possible way and thus constantly expand my experience. I am looking forward to the future in this role and would like to achieve my goals and thus prove myself to the company. I am also looking forward to the international cooperation with Sika colleagues from other Sika companies, and I hope to be able to expand my intercultural skills. I would like to leave a positive impression in the company and develop further within Sika.