Telekom introduces itself to talented students

Experts from the company informed some 60 top students from a total of nine European countries about career opportunities at Deutsche Telekom.

The talented young people also had an opportunity to test their skills and receive some pointers for their careers. "The event certainly convinced me that Deutsche Telekom is not the highly bureaucratic organization I had taken it to be," noted Anian Staudigl.

"Talents in Touch" was the third in a series of events to which Deutsche Telekom invites high-achieving students from the areas of IT, economics and engineering for informal exchanges. The events, which last a total of three days and are held at a different location each year, are designed to interest university graduates in the company at an early stage in their career searches and to enlarge the company's community of international talents.

A total of 26 participants were back on the strength of their performances at last year's events in  Zagreb and Friedrichshafen, giving them the opportunity to expand their networks. The rest of the group at this year's Barcelona event had applied via the Internet, in particular using the online career network e-fellows.net.

The young talents tested their skills – in areas such as communication, presentation, teamwork and problem-solving - in workshops, presentations and other activities, all geared to the motto "shaping tomorrow's world". International recruiting staff from Deutsche Telekom observed their efforts and took note of their strengths and the areas in which they need to learn. At the end of the event, the staff then translated their observations into practical career advice.

Peter Körner, Head of Human Resources Development, explained what Deutsche Telekom expects from talented people in general. A willingness to learn and to be flexible is not enough, he noted. “We are looking for young professionals who are experienced, international and entrepreneurs. Talents think before they act, can work in teams, stay focused on improvement and accept responsibility," he explained, listing key characteristics. “They are able to drive a project and make footprints.” Körner also described growth opportunities within the company, which increased the students' interest in Deutsche Telekom as an employer. They then heard about the company's internships, available positions and programs for graduates. The "Start up!" program proved to be of special interest. 

Students enjoyed a look at emerging technologies

A presentation by Thomas Aidan Curran also met with strong interest. Talking about "Technologies of the future", the Chief Technology Officer in the Products and Innovation segment highlighted the importance of innovation. "Innovation stops when people start waiting for the other guy to take responsibility for it. Our job is to think ahead, and not sit around waiting for customers' wants or needs to suddenly become apparent.” Curran then discussded technological developments, products, prices and infrastructure with the students.

Technology and innovation were also the central focus of the students' work in small groups. In the groups, which focused on topics such as audiovisual communications in the year 2020, data protection and the Web 2.0., the students developed their own solutions and business strategies. Theresa Enghardt, studying telecommunications at the Hochschule für Telekommunikation Leipzig (University of Applied Science), loved the event. "I really got a lot out of the workshop. I especially liked working with the other participants and presenting our results." Anian Staudigl, from the Steinbeis Hochschule in Berlin, also gave a glowing review: “The event certainly convinced me that Deutsche Telekom is not the highly bureaucratic organization I had taken it to be.”