Q&A: Michael Haagensen (BEng), student

Bosch recruit only six to eight lucky students each year. Rosie Perkins interviewed Michael Haagensen to find out how he made the cut.

Michael Haagensen (BEng) is a student and full time employee at RBGB since 2013. Michael graduated from Brunel University in 2013 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering.

As part of your two year graduate scheme at Bosch, which four rotations did you choose and why?

Throughout the scheme you are able to choose your positions within Bosch, based on what is advertised in each department. It is also possible to make contacts within Bosch and create roles in teams where support is needed. The whole time you are supported by HR and the Manager of the GSP scheme with any decisions you make. My roles were the below:

1. Resident Engineer at Nissan Motors UK in Sunderland. I looked after Bosch products on the Nissan production line and following up on any quality topics that arose. This was my first time in a production environment and meant that I would learn a lot from the engineers there.
2. Full time maternity cover for Sales Engineer in the Nissan team. I was responsible for four Bosch products sold to Nissan in the UK. I gained commercial experience and a taste of the sales world. This was a position I really enjoyed and included a lot of travel which was appealing to me.
3. External placement to Worcester Bosch. My position was that of Reliability Engineer, working on test rigs and returned parts from the field. My modules in Thermodynamics at University and the ability to write detailed reports really helped here. It was also a much more technical and hands on role.
4. Short Term Assignment in Paris in the Renault Sales team. Here I was able to move abroad for six months and work in an international role. I became involved in a newly acquired project which has now evolved into my full time position back in the UK. I was also able to take French lessons and try to learn a new language.

How has your time with Bosch been so far?

Surprisingly I have now been with Bosch for a few years. Each experience for me has been better than the last. I now find myself in a position with some real responsibility. This can be tough at times and very busy, but I also find it very rewarding and have a sense of achievement with what I have been involved in so far.

Bosch only recruit six to eight students each year. What was it that you think caught the eye of Bosch?

Being a student at Bosch before applying for the GSP scheme is in no way a guarantee of a position. However, it does mean that I already knew Bosch quite well and Bosch knew me. I think the most important thing is to have something interesting in your CV that stands out and grabs the interviewer’s attention. For me this was my Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. Not many people have this and it is something employers look for in your application. I also included what I had completed my final year dissertation on. This was a big talking point of the interview. Any extracurricular activities or sports will showcase your ability to work well within a team and independently.

What role are you currently occupying?

I am currently a Technical Sales Engineer in the UK. I work in the Nissan team and I am responsible for all European business with them on the next generation project.

What’s been your favourite moment so far?

My favourite moment came in March 2016 when I was able to travel to Japan on my own and meet my Bosch colleagues over there. I also visited the Nissan Technical Centre and met with my counterparts. The culture and the food in Japan are amazing. I would recommend everyone goes to Tokyo at some point. Sushi, sake and karaoke!

What advice would you give to this years’ Formula Student participants?

I would recommend to anyone looking at the scheme next year to apply early and make sure your application is interesting. If you get the opportunity to travel, do it; you will not regret it!

To discuss the Graduate Specialist Programme (GSP) with Bosch visit them at Formula Student 2016. Find out more.

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