Employee interview: From training straight into working life
From training straight into working life: Dennis completed his apprenticeship as an IT specialist at HIK GmbH - after which he stayed on and continues to support our IT department. Find out more in the interview.
How did you come to HIK?
In the coronavirus year 2020, I was looking for an apprenticeship and found what I was looking for at HIK. The offer: “Apprenticeship as an IT specialist for system integration” - exactly what I was looking for. The position sounded attractive, as did the employer, so I wrote my application. This was followed shortly afterwards by a sympathetic interview and the signing of my training contract. I started my apprenticeship in August 2020.
What was your career like at the company?
I have gone through many steps in the short time of 2 years. At the beginning of my training, I first completed smaller tasks, such as looking after the Windows systems and setting up the workstations. Initially, I wanted more of a challenge; it was no problem to address this and my wishes were taken into account. The department management was always open to change. Over time, my tasks became more extensive and I was given more and more responsibility. For example, supporting the ERP system “Oxaion”. After completing my training in January 2023, I became an ERP system administrator and stayed with HIK, which offered me a permanent position before I graduated, which I naturally accepted. I am motivated and look forward to continuing to specialize in the future and taking on even greater responsibilities.
What added value did the HIK give you in terms of school theory?
The extensive work on our ERP system Oxaion has already taught me a lot of theory, which I was able to use profitably at vocational school. Together with the theoretical content of the vocational school, I have gained a lot of specialist knowledge that I can put to good use. We always exchanged ideas among our (trainee) colleagues if something didn't work out. My colleagues were always ready to help me with larger projects. I was never just the “trainee”, but was allowed to actively participate and help shape things from the very beginning!
What tasks does your everyday life consist of? And what do you particularly enjoy?
My main task is to support our production in Oberzent in the use of the ERP system. I have a lot of fun with change requests and SQL queries, among other things, as these sometimes challenge and develop my skills the most.
What do you like about your work?
Working for us in IT never gets boring. There are always new challenges to overcome. With the help of constant training opportunities, the status quo is never maintained; instead, the entire team is constantly improving. This means that your mind is always challenged, which I really enjoy.
What do you particularly like about your employer?
The atmosphere in the company and among colleagues is very familial; older colleagues help younger colleagues and vice versa. All employees are very helpful and there are no hierarchical "barriers". Different departments always help each other and are always keen to initiate change. Overall, I feel very well looked after at HIK and have been perfectly prepared for my professional future. I feel valued by my colleagues and my work contributes to the success of the company.