Stuttgart resident and Germany scholarship holder Valentin Krug talks about his involvement in mountain biking and his journey to Zittau.
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Having grown up in the Stuttgart area, Valentin Krug 's attention was drawn to the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences by a friend. He quickly took a liking to the familiar atmosphere of the university and the leisure activities that Zittau has to offer.
In this interview, Valentin explains how he found his way to his degree in industrial engineering through an internship in Norway, how he is socially involved in his home country and how he is committed to supporting children in sport.
Valentin, why did you decide to study industrial engineering at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences?
I chose industrial engineering because a family friend gave me the opportunity to do a short internship in Norway for a week shortly after graduating from high school. There I was able to look over the shoulder of the production and site manager of an automotive supplier. I found it totally fascinating how he managed to reconcile the technical and commercial aspects. That's when I realized that I would also like to go in this direction and in this respect, industrial engineering is a pretty good fit.
Do you have a particular specialization and have you already gained experience elsewhere?
I decided to focus on production, simply because of my internship in Norway. There is often a lot of potential in the field of production, for example through automation or clever production planning.
I was therefore very interested in this area, which is why I chose to focus on it.
I also do various vacation jobs every summer. I have already been able to gain experience at Porsche and Daimler. I was also lucky enough to be able to do my practical semester at Prosch AG. Despite working from home, I gained some really great insights.
What is your life like outside of your studies? Are you socially involved?
Over five years ago, a few friends and I started a project together in my home town of Vaihingen an der Enz near Stuttgart to set up a mountain bike park. The project went through many committees and the town council. It took many years, but about four years ago we finally managed to build and open the park. Since then, there has been a large community of people who help to maintain and improve the park. There are also a lot of children who have become involved in the sport.
Apart from that, I really enjoy going into the mountains in Zittau, including mountain biking, and there are lots of other opportunities right on my doorstep. When it's warmer, I like to go to the lake and spend a cozy evening alone or with friends.
What personal and professional goals would you like to achieve in the future?
I tend to focus on being better every day than I was yesterday, rather than planning five or ten years ahead. I want to take a process-oriented approach and see how I can get the most out of myself. I also like to be surprised by what I can achieve and where the path takes me.
Interview: Louisa Marko
The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences has been participating in the Deutschlandstipendien program for over ten years.
The scholarship amounts to 300 euros per month. 150 of this is provided by private sponsors such as companies, foundations, alumni and other private individuals. The other 150 euros are provided by the federal government. The Deutschlandstipendium is paid directly to the scholarship holders by the universities. The funding is awarded irrespective of income and can also be received in addition to BAföG.
Anyone who is enrolled at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences or is applying for a study place can apply.
