Key data:
Job description: Assistant to the brewery management
Company: Brauunion Österreich AG/ Göss brewery
I work in: Leoben, Austria
I’ve worked here since: 2012
My contact
What I do:
Through my work in the field of total production management (TPM), I have access to virtually all of the fields of work at the brewery. My key roles include quality management, process optimisation and project management.
Why I love my job:
When it comes to industry, the food processing sector has particularly high standards. In addition to the stainless steel equipment, which reflects cleanliness and ethics, you can really feel every employee’s commitment to the product. Daily collaboration in various optimisation projects makes for an interesting and exciting work environment.
Important skills in my job:
A social attitude is essential for establishing good working relationships between colleagues. A team needs to give its very best in order to complete projects successfully. Dedication, specialist expertise and creative approaches are the core skills and tasks which ensure the success of a project/task.
My biggest accomplishment so far:
Probably my biggest success was my decision to take the secondary school leaving exam (‘Matura’) and start a course. Everything else worked out by itself or with dedication and a bit of luck! Professionally speaking, I had success working on a project to optimise the beer filtration system. This was also the topic of my Bachelor’s thesis. It presented me with lots of new challenges and enabled my employer to make savings in a few areas.
How I found my current job:
I was lucky to get the job through a course colleague who had applied to our employer shortly before me. The process from there involved an official application followed by an interview.
What I learned for this job during my studies:
The biggest advantages which graduates of the Production Technology and Organisation course have is their practical knowledge. The current employment market focuses on professional experience without any of the so-called ‘organisational blindness’.
Job prospects in my field:
Unfortunately, students with just a Bachelor’s degree are not always regarded as fully-fledged graduates. This can lead to unnecessary problems finding a job. The important thing is to be committed to the employer’s working environment to compensate for any potential gaps in theoretical training. Technicians are always in demand, everywhere.
I am:
Introducing or rating oneself is always a difficult task. You will probably fulfil most of the conditions required to work in this field. In my opinion, job satisfaction is what makes the difference. For me personally, a social environment and responsibility are essential components of a good workplace. My key skills include flexibility, an ability to apply creative (or impossible) approaches to create new/optimised products and team-working skills.
About my job:
Essentially I am striving for a project-based career which could also lead to self-employment. Working abroad could also be something which plays a key role in my life in the near future. As described above, I secured my job as a result of my course. I was impressed when I got to know the atmosphere both within the brewery and in the food industry as a whole. The interdisciplinary activities involved, from plant engineering to processing technology and safety-related issues, make for a balanced and interesting professional life.
I am currently studying:
I am currently studying Engineering and Production Management at FH JOANNEUM
I am continuing my studies because:
I decided to continue my studies primarily because my employer gave me this opportunity. If this had involved searching for a new partner company, I don’t think I would have started the Master’s course. But since the basic conditions were already in place, the focus and content of the Engineering and Production Management course proved important. This Master’s course deals with numerous issues in modern manufacturing science and offers interesting company-related projects. It also significantly increases your chance of finding the desired, or ‘perfect’ job.
How I make studying compatible with my job:
Simple – through the work terms integrated in the curriculum and the understanding of my employer.
