Report from our former Trainees

Through an advisory board to the Institute they have input as regards the contents of courses and the way they are examined, the appointment of lecturers and the course fees, and play a vital role in designing these. This makes it possible to have a quick reaction time to practical problems arising at short notice and strengthens the professional relevance of the course.

Along with our field of shipping, there are students from the freight-forwarding industry, the wholesale and export trades, and the advertising sector.

The course contents are structured just as they are at normal universities, but with one small difference: because we all have jobs, classes take place on two evenings a week and on some Saturdays.

This means some long days for us, when for instance we attend the vocational college from 7.50 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., then work in the office from 1.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m., and when that is over from 6.00 p.m. to 9.15 p.m. find ourselves seated in a classroom. Weekend events include seminars of 4 to 8 hours, devoted mainly to developing and presenting projects.

These compulsory weekly events are supplemented by a three-week stay in London, which we spend in host families to expand our knowledge of English.

The subjects are practical and many-facetted, including both general aspects of industrial economics, as well as specialised industry-related teaching, such as industry-related law, corporate management, marketing, information technology, communication technology and self management.

To ensure that the contents are taught in as practical a way as possible, we receive tuition from qualified lecturers, experts in the subjects concerned, university teachers, judges, corporate consultants and teachers from other educational institutions.

Of course we also have to ask whether all the time and energy spent is worthwhile, for a double load over three years is a great challenge. But for us – and especially for the company – the advantages definitely outweigh this.

If we are successful, concurrently with our classical training in shipping, we shall gain a degree similar to that at a university. Thus in future we shall be able to present ourselves to the company, and to other industries, as expert staff that have learned to adapt to new tasks quickly and with all the experience which practice brings. Thus the “two-track route” has every likelihood of being a success for both sides.

Report by:

Katarzyna Dybol, Pascal Meyer

former SENATOR trainees, graduated in June 2007

now young professionals at the SENATOR Head Office Bremen and SENATOR Sales Office Munich