Cologne graduate Daniel Boerop (B.A. Media and Event Management) completed his internship at Porsche in Prague. In this interview, he talks about the department he got to know at the company, what he considered to be his most exciting task and how he liked the Czech capital – and much more.
At which company and in which department did you complete your internship?
I did my internship abroad at Porsche Central & Eastern Europe in Prague. I worked in the Business Development department and was mainly responsible for the Network Development division, but I also got an insight into the E-Performance division.
How did you like it? Would you recommend it to other Media University students?
I would recommend an internship here to anyone, because you learn a lot and are actively involved in the process.
The region of Eastern and Central Europe is still developing in the automotive industry, and you are part of the development in this region. Furthermore, the hierarchy is flat in this company and you are treated as an equal. In addition, Prague is a great place for young people. So you also have a great time outside of work.
What was the biggest challenge during your internship abroad?
My biggest challenge was to find my way into a new area in an internationally operating company. Because the coronavirus hit the Czech Republic hard, we spent a lot of time working from home, but that wasn’t really a problem because we were able to work together with the other interns in the shared accommodation provided by Porsche.
Please tell us more about your areas of work: What were your main tasks during the internship? Which contents from your studies were reflected in your work or helped you particularly?
The main task in my area was to acquire new locations for Porsche in the 27 countries for which we were responsible and to adapt old locations to the new corporate identity. Another task was to plan and carry out the semi-annual investor conference. The difficulty here was that it had to be held virtually for the first time. What helped me most here were the things I had learned in the subjects of event management, event economics and event technology. In the area of e-performance, I had the opportunity to experience the development of the charging infrastructure in our region.
Did the internship help you with your career aspirations and future plans?
The internship helped me to gain insights into a new area and a large industry. Furthermore, working for Porsche is a great stepping stone, and the internship has helped me a lot in my development.
What would you recommend to other Media University students for their internship/time abroad?
I would definitely recommend an internship abroad to all students, as you make many new contacts, get to know a new culture and improve your English skills. I recommend that students choose an internship period of at least 6 months, as this allows you to follow the process of many tasks better and also get a deeper insight into some things. Often companies have more projects in one semester than in the other, so you get to know everything.
Thank you for sharing your experiences of your internship abroad at Porsche in Prague. All the best and continued success!
