Lauren - Unitech International

Lauren studies Chemical Engineering and decided to join the student network UNITECH International to get out of her comfort zone and to challenge herself. In our students@Evonik blog, she talks about the many opportunities a network offers to bring University and a career together.

A Network for the Future – Lauren between studying, travelling and working with Evonik

Lectures, homework, exams and keeping your career in mind? If this sounds familiar to you, then you are probably in the middle of your semester trying to figure out how to bring all this together.

This is why I would like to tell you a little about myself, Evonik and the UNITECH International student network.

My name is Lauren and I am studying Chemical Engineering and, probably like you, I was thinking about how to prepare for the future during my studies. This is how I came across UNITECH and its program, which would give me the opportunity to work, study and live abroad and to network with people from global companies like Evonik. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and experience new settings, while developing new skills through a study exchange and internship. So, the network was perfect for me.

I have been with UNITECH since August 2018 and will finish in September 2019. However, I do not officially graduate from UNITECH until I have graduated with my Master’s degree. Besides, once you have graduated, you can join the alumni organization and remain active in the network. As you can see, UNITECH is there for me even after the end of the program and the network supports me like a big family that is constantly growing and opening up new opportunities.

I completed my exchange semester in Sweden and am currently doing my internship at Evonik. I spent three months at Evonik in Hanau, Germany, followed by three months at Evonik in Taiwan. I was given the opportunity of an internship at Evonik during our Unitech "Mid-Term-Week," after getting to know Evonik employees and learning more about Evonik through discussions. During the Mid-Term Week, we always get a case study, or corporate case, for which we have to find innovative solutions. Evonik's employees, who were very helpful and friendly, were involved in the case. They always supported us, but also gave us enough freedom to look for creative solutions on our own. This was also a great opportunity to learn a lot about myself and my role in a team.

UNITECH is, above all, a network that wants to promote and develop the skills and personality of each individual, which is why there are various modules with different priorities that focus on important skills such as teamwork, leadership or presentation. During this year, I am also student representative of UNITECH International, which means that I act as “voice” of the students and also, e.g., give feedback and suggestions to improve the program.

So, if you are thinking about how to bring university and the future together, a network like UNITECH might be the thing for you. It offers the perfect opportunity to learn and improve important soft skills while traveling the world! It opens many doors and I would say it is a great start to a career. Not only will you get to know a lot of people who are like you, but you will also get to know companies like Evonik. The cooperation with Evonik will certainly be even stronger in the future, as both sides benefit from the cooperation. I am already looking forward to the opportunity to continue working with Evonik after graduating and to building a solid network for the future.

See you soon,

Lauren

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