Laura, employee in the team "Group Governance Processes" in Vilsbiburg, Germany, has been working at DRÄXLMAIER since 2020
Ready for Plan A
A yen for automotive
Laura has a plan: “I want to broaden my horizons and be forever learning new things.” Having recently completed her training as a foreign-language industrial clerk, Laura is now a member of the Group Governance Processes team at DRÄXLMAIER in Vilsbiburg.
Having a plan doesn’t necessarily mean following a straight path. But a plan helps you to correct a path that may not be the right one for you. “After graduating from high school, I first studied to become a teacher,” Laura says. “And then one day, I found myself sitting in the library wondering if that was really what I wanted to do.”
Laura previously worked in the automotive industry, which gave her experience in production and assembly. “I really enjoyed that,” she commented. She’d heard of DRÄXLMAIER because her grandfather had worked there, and that’s what prompted her to check out the career portal. What she found there was an apprenticeship offer as a foreign language industrial clerk. “It was a relatively new job description, which made me curious,” says Laura. She applied, was immediately invited for an interview and was offered the position a week later. “From that point on, things took on a new dynamic for me that just felt one hundred percent right.”
Her decision to drop out of college surprised her parents at first. “But then they fully supported my decision to do the apprenticeship, on the condition that I follow this new path without any ifs or buts.” It is exactly this determination that is a decisive part of the young woman's personality: “I always have to have a goal in mind and a clear plan of how to get there,” says Laura.
A varied apprenticeship
The apprenticeship at DRÄXLMAIER provided her with this kind of reliable structure. “It was two and a half very intensive years that took me through various DRÄXLMAIER departments in Vilsbiburg,” she explains. The vocational school was located in Landshut, where she was born and grew up, while the foreign language correspondence exams took place in Passau. “It never gets boring experiencing such different worlds,” says Laura, with a smile.
From the very start, the team welcomed her with open arms. “I always felt supported and valued,” Laura explains. “We’re a really close community, going out to lunch together or hiking on the weekends.” When she passed her final exams, she says, everyone cheered with her and celebrated her success. “That’s not something you take for granted, and it makes me feel safe and self-confident as a young professional.”
Responsible tasks
Laura really enjoys her work in the Group Governance Processes team. “We work on optimizing company-wide processes, and I’m specifically in charge of IT processes,” she explains. “This gives me a lot of really exciting insights into all areas of the business – and it means I get to meet and work with lots of people from very different backgrounds,” she says happily. “Things could not have worked out any better for me."
When she started her training, Laura left open the possibility of going back to university afterwards. “Pursuing a degree in business psychology or international business administration sounds interesting to me.” Today, however, she wouldn’t want to leave her job and her team. “If I ever go back to university, it’ll be on a part-time basis,” she says.
Always up for new experiences
Next up for Laura is a trip to Macedonia, where she’ll be training local DRÄXLMAIER employees in process management and the ADONIS tool. “This is a big responsibility, and I’m happy to take it on – I know how conscientious I’ll need to be,” Laura emphasizes. These business trips for training purposes also fit in perfectly with the young woman’s sense of adventure: “I just like being on the road and getting to know other people and cultures when I travel.” This adventurous spirit has led her to visit different countries throughout her life: France, Italy, Austria and the Balkans. She also follows an inner plan: “The world is so big and colorful. I want to go out and experience it.”
