People story
From Singapore to Munich
Our employees are the lifeblood of the company – they are the difference makers and represent the cornerstone of our success. That's why it is so important to us to ensure an optimal fit between the employees and the company, and that our people are satisfied on a sustainable basis.
An important measure in support of that objective is the Poly goes UAS student program. "Poly" stands for the Polytechnic schools in Singapore. Graduates admitted to the program study for a bachelor's degree at a university of applied sciences (UAS) in Germany and spend their work phases at one of the participating "hidden champions" – with a chance of being subsequently hired.
Preparation is everything
At Rohde & Schwarz we are currently hosting seven students from Singapore and Malaysia who are enrolled in a work/study degree program at the Munich University of Applied Sciences. For Low Pei Heng (25), a sixth-semester student of electrical engineering and information technology, the appeal of the program was the chance to learn about German working culture while pursuing his challenging engineering studies. "On top of that, I'm hoping that the German language skills I'm picking up will open other doors for me in my future career," he adds. For optimal preparation, before starting his time abroad, Pei Heng attended a German course where the teachers only spoke German from the very first lesson. "The first words I said were 'ja' and 'nein' ", he recalls.
Everything is different in far away Germany
A year later, the anxiously anticipated day arrived: Pei Heng boarded the long flight to Munich. The relocation to Germany is without doubt the biggest step for the students, says Matthias Ortmaier, one of our contacts for the work/study program. The newcomers definitely need a point of contact in the beginning to deal with questions and issues that arise: "The things they ask about extend from their dealings with authorities or clarifying the difference between gross and net on their salary statement, to explaining why the stores are closed on Sundays."
"My colleagues are all so helpful and patient and give me detailed answers to all of my questions, even when they're busy."
Low Pei Heng
Straight from the classroom to hands-on applications
During the degree program, the students alternate between lecture phases at the Munich University of Applied Sciences and work phases at Rohde & Schwarz. Asked what he likes best about this hands-on phase, Pei Heng answers without a moment's thought: "My colleagues! They're all so helpful and patient and give me detailed answers to all of my questions, even when they're busy." Another thing he loves about our company is the variety of topics he is permitted to work on, ranging from test automation to the testing of RF signal quality on printed boards. He explains how valuable it is to be able to increase his specialized knowledge through every topic he works on. With a smile, he adds: "And of course there's no need to mention the good food in the canteen."
