| Division: | Group Holding |
| Company: | ALTANA AG |
| Role: | High school student intern |
| Location: | Wesel |
| Country: | Germany |
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What did you do during your internship in the Corporate Innovation department?
I had the assignment of writing an article on ExWiki on the subject of ideas competitions. To do so, I had to do a lot of online researching. I visited a lot of Internet sites and read numerous newspaper articles and journals. I then had to evaluate the information that I had found out (whether it was useful), organize it (in terms of the different points of the topic about ideas competitions) and formulate everything. I then had to edit the article and provide it with photos and charts. The difficult thing was positioning the images next to the relevant text, so that everything remained clearly arranged.
How was your induction?
My supervisors supported me a lot during the induction phase. They often asked me if everything was going well or if I still had questions. I was always able to turn to them whenever I got stuck on the wiki or with researching. I quickly felt at ease in the company and with my work.
What did you especially like about your internship?
I enjoyed the working atmosphere during my internship. It was quiet during working hours, but very easy going at lunchtime. The people I met during the internship are very nice and helpful. Everyone wished me a lot of success and enjoyment. Also, it was great fun to work on the assignment. I learned a lot about the subjects of ideas competitions, innovation, and wikis. What I’ve learned will help me later on, as not many people are all that knowledgeable when it comes to wikis.
What do you do in your free time?
In my free time I do triathlon. I train up to 10 hrs a week, which is not always easy, as I still have to attend school. So far it’s worked out okay. I compete in a total of 6 or 7 triathlon races a year. Added to this are 1 or 2 running events and a few swimming races. I’ve also been playing percussion for 4 years and am a member of an orchestra. Twice a year we have concerts. In the summer I often go swimming with friends in the club pool. I also do standard dancing on a course with my classmates.