Markus Gebhard, 29, studied Computational Engineering at the University of Erlangen. After graduating, he joined Wacker Chemie AG as a trainee through the GTP (General Trainee Program). Even while still a trainee, he supervised projects at various German sites and in Australia, India, Southeast Asia, China and the USA. Following the program, he worked for two years as a project manager for WACKER POLYMERS at Allentown, PA, USA. In June 2011, he moved to Human Resources as a recruiting consultant for engineers.
What excited you about joining WACKER as a trainee?
I've always been interested in business structures, so after studying a science subject, I wanted to understand what makes a company tick – beyond the technology. Unlike other trainee programs in big corporations, the GTP gave me the opportunity to proactively shape the training course myself. WACKER gives you a great deal of freedom in choosing projects, and allows you to gain an insight across the board, from technology to marketing, through to strategic departments.
Looking back at the GTP, what did you like most?
For me, a genuine highlight was my 6-month project in Southeast Asia. My job was to analyze the potential for using our construction solutions in the area of affordable housing." I found it particularly interesting to make contact with many different institutions, such as the World Bank, or government ministries in India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand or Indonesia. I was really impressed by people's friendliness on my visits, not to mention the cultural diversity and delicious food
It was also great to build up a huge WACKER network through working in widely different parts of the company, something that still helps me in my current position.
What did you do after the trainee program?
After the trainee program, I joined WACKER POLYMERS as project manager for the dispersions business. Since Wacker Chemie had just acquired this product field through a purchase in the U.S., I was able to spend two years in Allentown working in strategic marketing.
Since June 2011, I've worked in the HR department as head recruiter for WACKER's entire engineer recruitment. It allows me to make use of my technical background and the marketing experience I've acquired to gain first class engineers for WACKER at a time when technical personnel are in short supply. Assessing the personality of new applicants is a new challenge for me. I'm certain that all the skills I acquire in this position will be very valuable and useful in my future career.