Yuvaraj Suresh Kumar works as an Industrial Engineer at Continental Tires in Korbach. After completing his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts, he completed a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences and Arts from 2020 to 2022. During his Master's degree, he completed his internship and subsequent Master's thesis at Schuberth in Barleben.
What was your journey from your first day of study in Germany to your professional life?
I am Yuvaraj Suresh Kumar and I am 28 years old. I came to Germany from Malaysia in 2015 to study. I spent the first six months in Berlin and attended a language course to improve my German language skills. After that, I spent five years in Hanover studying for a Bachelor's degree in General Mechanical Engineering. During this time, I had the opportunity to work at Continental in Hanover: I was an intern and did my final thesis there. After my Bachelor's degree, I wanted to specialize in a particular field. That's when I decided to do my Master's degree at Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. My degree course in 2020 was mechanical engineering with a specialization in manufacturing processes and manufacturing systems. I was lucky enough to do my Master's internship directly at Schuberth GmbH in Barleben near Magdeburg. In May 2022, I completed my internship, my thesis and also my Master's degree. Then I went to Hamburg for my first job at the service company Ingenics AG. I did projects with the main customer Airbus and was very much involved in efficiency improvement and process optimization projects.
After a year there, I wanted a new challenge and since October 2023 I have been working as an Industrial Engineer at Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH in Korbach.
What do you currently do and what are your tasks on the job?
I am responsible for the final inspection and also the review of the passenger file and car tires. My main tasks include calculating machine capacities and carrying out layout planning. I also have to plan staffing requirements and staffing levels. I am also responsible for ergonomic considerations in the workplace and process optimization with lean management.
To what extent did your studies prepare you for your current tasks?
During my studies there was the subject “Project planning in production systems” and there I had to deal with material flow, layout planning and the calculation of machine and personnel capacities. I would say I already knew 60% to 80% from my theory at university, but you have to learn the other things over time. For example, I'm currently also responsible for the logistics department. This is something that people who have studied business administration or economics actually deal with. But it's little things like that that I learn over time and I can't do everything, but the things that I can't do come with time.
What expectations did you have of starting your career in Germany and how did it actually turn out?
Good question! What I expected from this new job is that a lot of things would be taught right from the start. And some things are already taught in the induction plan, but for many things you have to make an effort yourself and put your foot down to learn things. Another thing I think is great is the “you culture” that prevails in most companies. You quickly feel very comfortable and only your experience plays a big role, not your age or background.
Where and how did you find your jobs and internships?
I looked for and used all kinds of platforms. For example, when I was at university, I was recommended the Career Center. I then made regular appointments there to keep improving all my documents - my CV, my cover letter. I also found out from the Career Center that there is a job portal for students called “Nachwuchsmarkt”. I used that too. And what I do most of all: I search for the companies or businesses I'm interested in on their websites and then I apply directly.
What was the application process like?
It is quite normal in Germany that many things are connected with paper. Applications are usually very formal and you have to do everything right from the start. The first step was of course to choose the right position and then all the documentation has to be properly prepared. The CV must be clean and must be double-checked using the four-eyes principle so that there are no spelling mistakes and, most importantly, the most important points for the job must be included somewhere in the CV or cover letter. Then comes the interview and you can prepare really well for this. Above all, you need to find out about the company and the job or position. And, if you already know the names of the people at the interview, you can do a bit of research on LinkedIn.
What tips/recommendations would you give international students with a view to their professional life?
It's really not that easy to find a suitable position. You have to have a lot of perseverance and always be patient. Some may find a good, suitable position after a few weeks and some may even search for three to six months or even longer. But you always have to be patient and not lose hope quickly. And above all, I would say that self-confidence is very, very important.
What role do German skills play in your professional life?
It actually plays a very important role. My first round of my interview was in German and the second round was in English and if I hadn't passed my first round, I wouldn't have been able to come to the second round at all. Knowledge of German is very important in Germany, especially if you want to work in a German company. But there are always opportunities to work for English-speaking jobs or English-speaking companies.
What are your career plans for the future?
My plans are to stay in this job for at least 5 years. I want to learn many things at Continental and there are also Continental plants in Malaysia. At some point I want to go back home and continue working there.