As a trainee, Sebastian Still sticks out from the crowd. At the age of 40, he decided to train once again and is now being trained with us as an IT Specialist for System Integration. What that exactly means and why he is so enthusiastic about his daily work at ROSEN, you can find out in this interview. You can find more information about the job at www.ausbildung.rosen-lingen.de.
Sebastian, most of our trainees are around 20 years old. You stand out from the crowd. Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship again when you were 40?
Professionally, I was at an impasse. I wanted to develop myself further, but I couldn't and wasn't allowed in my job. In general, my tasks were very monotonous. I tried to optimize and develop processes, but unfortunately the path always led back to the impasse. I have always been interested in computers. As is the case with other colleagues in the IT sector, I first helped friends and acquaintances with their IT problems in the classic way. I always enjoyed that. That's why I looked around in this direction and came across ROSEN.
Now you're doing an IT apprenticeship with us as an IT Specialist for System Integration. What can we imagine by this?
We are like the hub of IT. Other disciplines, such as IT Specialists for Application Development, deal with programming. In systems integration we are the first point of contact for problems. If colleagues from the German ROSEN sites call the helpdesk, it's quite possible that I'll be on the phone. So we take care of almost everything first. This can be, for example, cases where a computer cannot connect to the printer, the own screen does not work or someone has forgotten the password. If it's a more specific problem that doesn't fall within my area of responsibility, then I pass it on to my specialist colleagues.
What does your typical workday look like?
With such a variety of IT problems, nothing seems typical at first glance. But we do have a system. Every two weeks, I am active in support and the first point of contact when colleagues call IT. During this time, we are on hotline duty from 7 am to 5 pm and coordinate among ourselves in the team who covers which period. Especially during peak times or on a Monday, when typical problems occur after the weekend, things can get hectic. Then we always staff the hotline with several colleagues at the same time. Therefore we are pleased that our colleagues are increasingly taking up the offer to contact us via the support portal or by e-mail. Then it's a little easier for us to prioritize. If we receive technical inquiries that we can't handle as IT Specialists for System Integration, we forward them to the appropriate colleagues.
In the other weeks, I work on routine tasks, such as setting up a team meeting room. These weeks are a bit quieter than the support weeks. I also have two fixed days per week on which I attend vocational school.
What qualities are particularly important in your job?
You definitely have to be a very good listener. You also have to be stress-resistant and always approach a situation openly, without reservations. From time to time it happens, that colleagues react stressfully when they have an IT problem. In such moments, I always remind myself that this reaction is not directed at me personally. As long as I stay loose and relaxed, I always enjoy my work. It helps me to be rather extroverted and to enjoy working with other people. That sums up well under social, interpersonal skills. At the end of the day, it also always gives me a good feeling when I helped my colleagues and receive positive feedback from them.
What makes your job so exciting for you?
The versatility. Some problems occur regularly, such as blocked access or printer problems, but there are never two completely identical situations. Even if problems seem similar at first, the solution can be completely different. This is often due to the causes of the problems. Sometimes I feel a bit like I'm on "Jugend forscht" – especially when I have to think my way through issues and can't find a solution at first. Then I look for information online or talk to my colleagues. It's precisely this problem-solving and variety that makes it so exciting for me.
What does ROSEN offer you beyond the pure training content?
In the first year of apprenticeship, there is a lot of internal training about the fields of work in IT. These technical offers are supplemented by various activities for the trainees. For example, there is a trainee trip as part of onboarding. Most of the events are, of course, directly at the largest location in Lingen. In Stutensee and the surrounding area, we have a total of three trainees, so there are understandably fewer offers at our site. But we also travel to Lingen for such occasions. At the beginning of my apprenticeship, for example, I spent a week in Lingen to get to know my colleagues in IT on site. That not only helped me to make contacts, but also to get to know the company better. Of course, I had informed myself about ROSEN before my training, but then to see everything on site is really impressive.
You have now completed two thirds of your training. Can you shorten your training based on your previous experience?
Yes, I can. Not only because of my previous work experience, but also because I have already completed an apprenticeship as an Industrial Mechanic. I could have shortened my training as an IT Specialist for Systems Integration by a total of one year. However, I decided against this and am only shortening my training by half a year. My final examination is due in November.
Would you recommend the training at ROSEN to others?
I can definitely recommend the training at ROSEN. I was particularly impressed by the support, because the company takes care of its trainees comprehensively, regardless of whether it's a question of technical issues or offers relating to the training. In the first year of my apprenticeship in particular, I benefited greatly from the additional training courses. They complemented the content from vocational school very well. Unfortunately, this is not the norm – my classmates often report completely different circumstances. All in all, the training is a good overall package.
What makes ROSEN special for you?
Definitely the corporate culture and the togetherness! The "Duz" (you) culture alone was something I didn't know from my previous job. I also think the flat hierarchies are great. I notice them every day and they make a big difference to me. At first, I had to get used to it, but now I really appreciate the ROSEN culture. It makes personal contact with colleagues very easy and makes working together extremely familiar. What is also particularly nice is the willingness to help in the company, no matter what the issue is. There is always someone who can help.
In the beginning, you said that further training and development is very important to you. Have you been able to develop personally and professionally during your time at ROSEN?
Absolutely. Personally, I am very happy that I enjoy my job so much and that it fulfills me. Since I joined ROSEN, I enjoy going to work again. Professionally, of course, I have gained a lot of new knowledge through the training. Being able to apply this knowledge every day and help my colleagues with their IT problems makes me particularly happy. And the great thing about this job is that you never stop learning. There are always new topics coming up that I can familiarize myself with and that I have to follow up on to stay up to date. So further training is integrated directly into the job.
What are your goals for the future?
After I finish my training in November, I will continue to stay at ROSEN and familiarize myself with the locations in southern Germany. In the long term, I will replace a colleague here who is retiring soon. My goal is that the colleague can fully hand over his tasks to me and enjoy his retirement. This long-term perspective and the high chances of being hired after the training were also decisive factors in my decision to work for ROSEN.
Thank you very much for the interesting insights into your daily working life, Sebastian!
Are you interested in the background of Sebastian's decision to start an apprenticeship again at the age of 40? Listen to the full story in the podcast 'A Thousand Stories', where Sebastian was a guest: https://tausendgeschichten.de/episode/sebastian-still-und-der-berufliche-neuanfang