She has come to stay
Ann Katrin Gies has been a project engineer at DAHLEM since November 2024, but she is no stranger to her colleagues. Her permanent position was preceded by several years as a working student, during which she impressed both herself and us.
“Of course, my workload was higher during my studies: the program is designed for a 40-hour week, on top of which there is office work. However, I don't know of any working students at DAHLEM for whom this became a problem. When assignments or exams were due, I was able to reschedule my working hours flexibly. I was told: your studies take priority,” says Ann Katrin Gies.
First a draughtswoman, then a working student on her way to becoming an engineer
Ann Katrin Gies began her career with an apprenticeship as a draughtswoman specializing in civil engineering in Fulda. “I didn't want to just implement my colleagues' specifications, I wanted to work on solutions myself,” she recalls. “In addition, the prospect of higher earnings ultimately appealed to me, so I decided to postpone my civil engineering studies and came to Darmstadt instead.”
She successfully completed her practical module as part of her studies at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences at DAHLEM. “The professional experience I gained during my training was very useful here, and I felt well taken care of. Being able to stay on as a working student afterwards was a stroke of luck for me.”
First a draughtswoman, then a working student on her way to becoming an engineer
Ann Katrin Gies began her career with an apprenticeship as a draughtswoman specializing in civil engineering in Fulda. “I didn't want to just implement my colleagues' specifications, I wanted to work on solutions myself,” she recalls. “In addition, the prospect of higher earnings ultimately appealed to me, so I decided to postpone my civil engineering studies and came to Darmstadt instead.”
She successfully completed her practical module as part of her studies at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences at DAHLEM. “The professional experience I gained during my training was very useful here, and I felt well taken care of. Being able to stay on as a working student afterwards was a stroke of luck for me.”
When interests shift
Ann Katrin Gies wrote both of her theses during her studies at DAHLEM. In her bachelor's thesis, she focused on infrastructure and heavy rainfall events—a specialty of the Darmstadt office—while her master's thesis focused on wastewater treatment plants and membrane technology. "In addition to the support of the lecturers, I always had my mentor at my side, as well as the respective supervisor of my thesis at the company. At DAHLEM, the range of projects is very broad, as is the expertise of my colleagues. This diversity is not found in smaller engineering firms. I started my studies with the idea of specializing in structural engineering and then ended up specializing in water management and environmental technology.
Der Sprung ins Arbeitsleben
„Gefühlt bleibt für mich alles beim Alten, auch wenn ich jetzt deutlich mehr Zeit bei DAHLEM im Büro verbringe und natürlich an zusätzlichen Projekten mitarbeite. Ich bin froh, meinen Kollegenkreis so gut zu kennen – wir sind schon eingespielt. Trotzdem flatterten mir die Nerven vor dem angesetzten Vorstellungsgespräch, das sich dann aber mehr als Kennenlerngespräch mit der Geschäftsführung herausstellte.“
Der Sprung ins Arbeitsleben
„Gefühlt bleibt für mich alles beim Alten, auch wenn ich jetzt deutlich mehr Zeit bei DAHLEM im Büro verbringe und natürlich an zusätzlichen Projekten mitarbeite. Ich bin froh, meinen Kollegenkreis so gut zu kennen – wir sind schon eingespielt. Trotzdem flatterten mir die Nerven vor dem angesetzten Vorstellungsgespräch, das sich dann aber mehr als Kennenlerngespräch mit der Geschäftsführung herausstellte.“
