In the latest episode, it’s the turn of the wild young things to speak - our apprentices! In fact our university offers apprenticeships in many different areas and in August, twelve new trainees began work here. We will be talking to two apprentices about their insights and funny stories, how they ended up at the university, what they have already experienced, how they have managed to deal with exams during the coronavirus pandemic, and what will happen next once they have finished their apprenticeships.

During the recording of the podcast in the GuerickeFM studio (c) Ina Götze
 

Our guest today

In today's episode, two apprentices have their chance to speak: Jannis Kirchof has already finished an apprenticeship in event technology and Ann-Katrin Gerstung is training to be a media designer in digital and print.

*the audio file is only available in German

The Podcast to Read

Intro voiceover: In die Uni reingehört. Der Podcast zur Arbeitswelt an der OVGU.

Lisa Baaske: A very warm welcome to this episode of our podcast from the university for the university. Today our wild young things get their chance to speak: our apprentices! In fact our university offers apprenticeships in many different areas and in August, twelve new trainees began work here. My name is Lisa Baaske, I am a volunteer in the press office and our guests today are the apprentices, Ann-Katrin Gerstung and Jannis Kirchhof. We will be talking about their experiences and funny stories, how they ended up at the university, what they have already experienced, how they have managed to deal with exams during the coronavirus pandemic, and what will happen next once they have finished their apprenticeships. A very warm welcome to you both! Perhaps you can start by telling us what kind of apprenticeships you are both doing!

Jannis Kirchhof: Yes, hello! I did an apprenticeship in event technology and am now working in media technology.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Hello! I am currently still training. I am doing an apprenticeship as a media designer in digital and print media in the Department of Media, Communication and Marketing.

Lisa Baaske: And how did you both end up at the university? I can imagine that you sometimes get confused faces looking back at you when you say that you are doing an apprenticeship at the university.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: So personally I have to say that that really is the case. Of course first of all I say what kind of apprenticeship I am doing, if anyone asks me, and then in the course of the conversation I might mention the university, and yes, basically I then always say what my experiences are and when I have explained that it becomes clear relatively quickly.

Jannis Kirchhof: Yes, it was similar for me too. When I found the apprenticeship position, I actually had to look twice to see make sure that it wasn't really a degree course, but an apprenticeship and I often have to explain again that I actually was an apprentice and not a student.

Lisa Baaske: And why did both of you opt to pursue a career in your respective fields?

Jannis Kirchhof: I wanted to make a career out of my hobby. Back in my school days I already had a lot to do with event technology and sound technology, and really enjoyed it and so I thought, “Yes, why not?”

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Exactly, and for me it was simply the case that before I started my training here, I had done my vocational baccalaureate diploma in design, and for the practical part of the diploma I did a course as a Graphic Design Assistant and that is how I realized that I would like to become a Media Designer. So I searched for vocational training occupations or companies who offered training in this field and quickly discovered the university, since a university offering apprenticeships stands out.

Lisa Baaske: And what does a typical day as an apprentice look like here at the university?

Jannis Kirchhof: Well for me there actually wasn’t a typical day as an apprentice. For me, in fact, something different usually happened every day. Sometimes there would be a company that I had to support with new installations. Sometimes I had to go out if something wasn’t working properly. Sometimes I had to open up a device, do some soldering inside. Actually, every day there was something different. It is a very varied occupation.

Lisa Baaske: So your apprenticeship job was very varied.

Jannis Kirchhof: Yes, that is what I meant.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: I have to say that in my case there is a certain amount of structure. There are orders or tasks that come up on a regular basis. That includes, above all, proofreading flyers or something similar, when all that needs to be done is improvements to the university’s existing printed products. But it is also true that sometimes a new design needs to be created for something, for events, for example, when we always have quite a lot to do. And my area of work ranges from flyers and brochures to posters and huge banners. It is really very wide-ranging. And also pens and notepads, everything that the faculties or the professors or other people working at the university need.

Lisa Baaske: So both of you have really varied jobs - that is great! Do you both feel generally comfortable as apprentices at a university? Do you feel as though you're in good hands?

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Yes, I feel as though I’m in really good hands at the university, especially because during my apprenticeship there are a lot of further training opportunities, both external and internal. So we get trained on the job, by colleagues and other apprentices. We also receive support for exams, so the help that we get during our apprenticeship goes far beyond the training framework.

Jannis Kirchhof: Yes, I also always had the feeling that if there had been any problems, I would always have had somebody to turn to. But otherwise, as an apprentice here at the university, one gets to enjoy many advantages, for example the travel costs for the journey to vocational college were always reimbursed and also the accommodation. That is certainly a fantastic benefit.

Lisa Baaske: OK! So you both feel comfortable here, that is nice to hear. The coronavirus has not only turned our lives in general, but also life at the university, completely upside down. How have things been for you? What was it like working at the university during the pandemic? Could you work from home, for example? Jannis, I’m sure that you could not.

Jannis Kirchhof: That is right. As a technician it is hard to work from home. Of course there were no lectures taking place, so for this reason we got on with doing all of the maintenance jobs. We did some new installations. We tested equipment. We repaired equipment. We had a great deal to do. I couldn’t go to vocational college, for that I had to study from home. And actually it worked out really well, because I had time to write my final paper and I was also able to prepare for my examinations by myself. Otherwise, here at the university we had plenty to get on with.

Lisa Baaske: So you whipped everything into shape at the university while everyone was away.

Jannis Kirchhof: Exactly!

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: In our department it was completely different; we switched over entirely to working from home, especially when the virus was at its worst. Naturally I also did not have to go to college, so I always had one day in my home office which I spent on doing the tasks that came for me from vocational college, but otherwise for us, of course, it is very easy, because our work is in any case predominantly on the computer and all of the client meetings and so on were just done by email or by using the various tools that we have so that we could have video conferences with customers if it was absolutely necessary, and generally we could do everything from home.

Lisa Baaske: What would you both say was the biggest impact of the coronavirus? I think you, Jannis, couldn’t take your exams as a result?

Jannis Kirchhof: Yes, my exams were postponed. You could see that as a blessing and a curse, but actually it was more annoying for me, because it means that my apprenticeship lasted longer. Otherwise, it was only bad that there was no college. We missed out on the opportunity to prepare for our exams at college and had to do it independently instead. In my opinion, that was the biggest problem.

Lisa Baaske: Yes, because it affected your final examination, right? So it was... of course exams had to be canceled, but the final exam is, naturally, especially bad.

Jannis Kirchhof: Right, yes!

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: It actually also affected my exams too; last year I was in the second year of my apprenticeship and there is always an interim exam that is not graded in the training company or training occupation in general - That is more or less just in preparation for the final exam, to see what your level of knowledge is, if we have really been taught everything that we actually ought to know in terms of skills if we want to get a final grade of good or excellent for our apprenticeship, and for that reason it was, of course, very bad for me too, because I didn’t have this assessment. Also, they were canceled three days before they were supposed to take place... a week, or five or six days beforehand, I think, it was already hanging in the balance, and then three days before we knew for sure: there would not be any interim exams for us, which, of course, was bad for us too, because in some cases we had spent 2 or 3 months preparing for them, and learning all the subjects in depth and so on, so for me it was really annoying that they could not take place. I did not like that very much. But, of course, there was nothing that could be done about it.

Lisa Baaske: Jannis, you have finished your apprenticeship now. Ann-Katrin, you will finish next year. What will come next after your training?

Jannis Kirchhof: So, the university offers the possibility of undertaking an extended training program after the apprenticeship, which means that people are employed part-time for one year and that is what I am currently doing, and what happens next, well I don’t know yet, I will see.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: So, my plan is definitely to use this year after the apprenticeship and then possibly add another course of studies on afterwards in the area in which I am working, so graphic design or something in that area. But I will see; after all, I have a bit more time yet.

Lisa Baaske: Perhaps you will stay with us and study for a degree at OVGU if there is something suitable; that would be nice.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Maybe.

Lisa Baaske: You have certainly both experienced a lot during the three years. What is your favorite memory and funniest story too?

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Well I have to say that for me there are a few experiences that I have had that I think are really good; above all, when you see printed products or materials that you produced yourself on the screen in real life, so to speak. That includes the bottle, the SoulBottle, that we produced. I did a lot of work on that, and the design was on my desk beforehand. That is always nice to see it brought to life and produced. Or there were banners too, that were put up for the Academic Ceremony, things like that, when you see products “live” that you have made yourself, that is always a nice feeling, and if you have achieved something. So that is a good memory.

Lisa Baaske: In August, our new apprentices started here, so their training adventure is starting now too. Can you still remember your first day as an apprentice? What was it like?

Jannis Kirchhof: For me, to start with, it was something completely different from school, a huge campus and having to get my bearings, but actually my first day... consisted of an etiquette course, that I had, it was a typical code of conduct course, that lasted for one day and then it was home time already. It was really interesting and informative.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: So I had the etiquette course, but in my case spread out over three days; for us it wasn’t a single compact day anymore, but rather several, but otherwise I would say, that although I didn’t come here straight from school, but instead had already done another training course, it was, of course, quite different, and I still needed to find my feet, which was exciting. That is completely normal, of course.

Lisa Baaske: That is interesting! What does one learn as an apprentice on an etiquette course?

Jannis Kirchhof: Well I can still remember that we actually did learn all about using our cutlery from the outside in, and I think how to speak to our superiors at work. It was a few years ago now in my case.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Yes, that was more or less what it was like. How to take a telephone call. And how to write an email properly. It was about the basics that everyone needs to be able to communicate professionally with their superiors and peers too.

Lisa Baaske: What was it like, in general, as a young person probably straight out of school, or perhaps not yet used to the world of work, to suddenly work with adults?

Jannis Kirchhof: So, I really did come straight from school; I was 17 when I started here. Of course it is different, but it wasn’t really unusual for me, because I had done internships where I had already been able to work with adults and in my spare time I had often worked with adults too. You get used to it quite quickly. So actually it isn’t a problem at all.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Yes, and with us, at least from what I know about our office, there is also a very relaxed relationship between the staff. We call one another “du” in the office, which gives you the feeling that you are somewhere where you are not completely subordinate and can say what you want to with confidence. So it is a very relaxed environment, at least that is my experience.

Lisa Baaske: Alongside the specialist knowledge that you need for your job, what else have you learned from your apprenticeship? Has it perhaps also helped you grow as a person?

Jannis Kirchhof: It is always hard to say if you personally have changed or not. I have got older, and I spend every day working with adults, but also get to spend time with students. I do think that I have changed, but how exactly, I’m not sure that I can say. But probably simply because I have got older.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: I would say I have definitely developed, perhaps not to a huge extent, but definitely just learning to interact with colleagues and customers, maintaining interpersonal relationships that are not private relationships, but purely professional, that is something that one learns through an apprenticeship, especially when it is one’s first proper training course. That is something that you really have to acquire.

Lisa Baaske: It really sounds as though both of you feel at home here, which is, of course, great! Are there, however, things that you would like to change about the university too?

Jannis Kirchhof: Well, that is right, I do feel right at home, but it would be great if there was a kind of semester ticket [travel card] for apprentices. That would be really cool. Perhaps that would be a suggestion for the management.

Lisa Baaske: OK, perhaps they will hear it here and make it happen.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Well I have to say that I am very satisfied. I have the feeling that I am accepted, and I can’t think of anything that bothers me. In my experience the university is an excellent employer and training provider.

Jannis Kirchhof: Yes, I agree.

Lisa Baaske: That is great, we are happy to hear it! What would your advice be, then, to our new apprentices?

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: So, I can really only say, don’t be afraid! And also, even if at first it is overwhelming, because it is a huge complex of buildings and so many people work here, with whom one, of course, has to learn to get on, it is simply... you should not be afraid to say if something is bothering you or to let people know if there is something that you need or if you have a problem. You will be listened to here and can speak freely. At least that has been my experience.

Jannis Kirchhof: So I can really only advise them to get hold of a map of the campus. There are probably some in the CSC. They are probably displayed here too. In the beginning I found it really difficult to find my way round; after 1-2 months I had more or less got it, but the map of the campus really helped.

Lisa Baaske: That’s right, the campus map, it saves lives!! That is absolutely right! And that almost brings us to the end. To finish with, we have our popular section, “Long story short”. I will start three sentences for you, and you complete them. Are you both ready?

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Ready!

Lisa Baaske: I would recommend an apprenticeship at the University of Magdeburg because...

Jannis Kirchhof: ...I had a really good time here and learned a lot of new things.

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: ...because you will have absolutely everything you need during your training here.

Lisa Baaske: The biggest challenge during my apprenticeship was...

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: ...understanding the university’s corporate design.

Jannis Kirchhof: ...working in front of an entire lecture hall. Sometimes you might have a lecture hall full of students and you still have to replace cables in front of everyone or install something new. In the beginning I didn’t always find it easy, but now I like it.

Lisa Baaske: So working in front of other people. If I had to summarize my apprenticeship in one word, then it would be...

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Perfect!

Lisa Baaske: OK! That was it for today. Many, many thanks to both of you for coming here today! And you, on your mobile devices, or wherever you are listening, thank you for tuning in too. And, if you have any suggested topics for our podcast series, would like to give us some feedback, be it critical or positive, just drop us an email to .

Our next episode will be in October with our science podcast, when we will be speaking to Professor Dieterich about Alzheimer's disease. Feel free to listen in! Until then, take care and stay healthy!

Jannis Kirchhof: Bye!

Ann-Katrin Gerstung: Bye!

Intro voiceover: In die Uni reingehört. Der Podcast zur Arbeitswelt an der OVGU.