Why did you opt for steute and for studying in the dual system?
When I left school, I knew that I wanted to study. I was especially drawn to Business in general and Marketing in particular. I was interested in the dual system because I wanted to be in contact with practical applications, and also because I wanted to leave home and earn enough money to be able to finance a flat. I found steute via an online training and recruitment portal, and their advertisement caught my eye. Following a couple of relaxed and friendly interviews, I knew that I wanted to work for this company while studying.
How does switching between theoretical and practical phases work for you?
Every 3 months, I switch between theoretical and practical phases. This can often be challenging because the routines in the two phases are extremely different. But it is always possible to concentrate on the task at hand, and it gets easier with every semester. In two of the practical phases I have to write extended essays for university, and the colleagues at steute support me fully in this. I know that this is not always the case in other companies.
In which parts of the company are you during the practical phases, and what are your main tasks? What is your routine at steute and what do you do?
I knew from the beginning that I wanted to major in Marketing in my Business degree. For this reason, I am mainly in the steute Online Marketing department, where I help to update the content of our websites and create new content for our social media platforms. But I also go to other commercial departments and areas in order to get a complete overview of the processes involved in running a company. The knowledge I gain helps me in my studies because I can make a direct connection between the theoretical principles and their practical implementation.
What are the greatest challenges for a dual student, and how do you cope with them?
On the one hand, the abrupt changes between theory and practice are challenging because you are ripped out of student life and thrown into full-time work while the other students take a semester break. For me it is important that I keep my goals firmly in mind and remain professional and disciplined. I am sure that this approach will pay off in the end. On the other hand, after learning hard for exams I actually find the change positive because it is good to have a structured routine again.
Another challenge is the shortness of the exam phase. We take all of our exams in a single week, which can be pretty stressful. Here it definitely helps during the semester to develop the study routines which then work best for you.
What are the best things about being at steute? (What main things have you learnt and what do you like the most?)
At steute the people are willing to help you if you have any problems or ideas. Many of my fellow students are working for very large companies where they have no real contact partners and not very much to do. Luckily, that is not the case at steute. Although the company is growing all the time, the atmosphere is still relaxed and friendly.
