„The network that I gained throughout the program has been highly valuable!“

Can you briefly start by telling in which company you currently work? When did you start there and what are your tasks?

Since June 2018, I have been working at the Japanese sales branch of the German company Ensinger. Here I am responsible for various business development projects. Ensinger Group is a worldwide leading manufacturer of engineering & high-performance plastics solutions, with a growing presence in Japan. The projects I am involved in include business planning, product management, technical marketing, and sales for Japanese target-industries.

What makes it exciting for you to work for Ensinger?

Working at Ensinger enables me to work and collaborate in a highly interconnected multinational and multicultural organization, with flat hierarchies, short lines of communication, effective teamwork, high responsibilities, and freedom. Moreover, I am fascinated by the diversity of markets I can contribute to with Ensinger’s solutions, ranging from electronics to medical, food production, automotive and aerospace.

Why did you decide to combine full-time work abroad with work-integrated studies?

Having studied mechanical engineering and gained first experiences in R&D, I wanted to combine my technical skills with business knowledge. Therefore, I decided to pursue a management master degree and was looking for a program with an international orientation. Moreover, I knew that it would be much more exciting if I could apply the learnings directly into real projects. Eventually, I found the work-integrated study M.A./MBA (USA)- program at SIBE as the perfect solution.

How important is the formation of a professional international network during your studies? How do you benefit from the M.A./MBA (USA)- program in terms of building your network?

The program enables to study together with a multicultural and multidisciplinary group of students. Students get in-depth business insights through valuable exchanges. Furthermore, consistent feedback on my projects and deep-diving into discussions with a highly diverse class enables me to find solutions that wouldn’t be possible to find alone. Overall, the network that I gained throughout the program has been highly valuable, both personally and professionally.

You´re near the end of the program now, how do you manage to organize yourself and combine your work with your study program?

Studying while working full-time has been quite challenging sometimes, especially as my work includes frequent business trips. I always try to optimize my time- and task-management measures, and improve my work and study performance, to ensure a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Additionally, exchanges with classmates and instructors inspired me to try out different approaches for my self-organization. In order to meet weekly and monthly targets, I learned to be more systematic, while at the same time being flexible and adapting to uncertain conditions.

In which ways would you say your studies at SIBE benefit you the most? To whom would you recommend this program?

The possibility to apply the learnings directly into practice enabled me to gain in-depth business insights. Moreover, through the management project and the weekly discussion rounds, I improved my organizational and analytical skills, as well as my social and communication skills. I can recommend the program to anyone, trying to improve practical business skills and related competencies, while enjoying enriching exchanges with a multidisciplinary/multicultural class.

In your opinion; What should modern managers take out of the program to be best prepared for their tasks?

Most of all, over the course of the program, I think managers could develop the ability to act self-organized and creatively under complex and uncertain conditions. A skill, that’s highly relevant in a fast-moving and changing world.

Do you have tips for people who are considering applying for the M.A./MBA(USA)- program?

Various questions and thoughts might come up when considering applying to the program. I can recommend not to hesitate to get in touch with the representatives at SIBE, who have been highly supportive when I applied one year ago.