Nuremberg Founded About 1050

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Around 1817, during the reign of the Kingdom of Bavaria, the city was included into the district of the Franconian Rezat, now known as Middle Franconia.3 Soon, the first German railway was established joining it with its sister city, Fuerth. The railway extended the commercial horizon of Nuremberg. Not long after, it has been considered the most important industrial city in Bavaria and the whole of Southern Germany. In 1905, the town expanded to include several suburbs4.

Under the Nazi regime starting in 1933, headed by Adolf Hitler, Nuremberg was a considered the "pride of the German Reich" and Hitler named it, "the most German city in Germany". Ironically, it is also the city which held the famous Nuremberg Trials. At 1945, German officials who caused the now infamous German holocaust and other war crimes were put in front of justice in an international court. The Soviet Union stated its intention to hold the trials in Berlin, but Nuremberg as chosen due to its symbolic value of the Nazi downfall. The city was the chosen location by Hitler for the Nazi Party’s Rallies and the place where the legislation was passed to strip the Jews of their rights. After the fall of the Reich ruling, more than 90% of the city’s historical buildings, and 40% of the infrastructure was completely demolished. Hardly, anyone believed reconstruction was possible due to the scale of destruction. But the German dedication proved otherwise, and today Nuremberg stands high and proud retaining its tradition. The loss of the historical buildings was, however, irreparable. 

As a compromise for choosing Nuremberg as the location for the Trials, it has been decided that the city of Berlin would be the location of the seat of the International Military Tribunal and the very initial trials would be set in Nuremberg.. The following trials never happened due to the start of the cold war.. Today, Nuremberg boasts various international events such as the International Toy Fair, numerous trade exhibitions such as PCIM Europe, as well as the world famous Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt. Today, Nuremberg boasts various international events such as the International Toy Fair, numerous trade exhibitions such as PCIM Europe, as well as the world famous Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt.

The Christkindlesmarkt, meaning Christ’s Child Market, is a Christmas event held on an annual basis for 3 weeks in Nuremberg. It is located in the Hauptmarkt area (literally the main market or square) in the historical old town city centre. More than 2 million local and international visitors attend the event every year. It has been known as the biggest Christmas market in Germany, and possibly the world. Every year, the first day of the market is marked by the first Friday before Advent, and continues until Christmas Eve (December 24th). It is speculated that the first market was held between 1610 and 1639, during which the terms describing "Christmas time" and "handing gifts to children" first originated in Germany. Every year, on the first day of the market, a "Christ Kind" is chosen to be the Christ Child, a Jury makes a final selection out of 6 finalists.

As the industrial heart of southern Germany, firms such as Siemens and MAN formed a strong base for Nuremberg. Until today Nuremberg maintains a high standing within the European market. Its exports include mechanical products, electrical, automotive, stationary materials, such as Faber-Castell, and printing media. The city also is regarded as an important position in the industry with regards to power generation technologies, energy, and medical equipment. Almost a third of research parties of Germany conduct their work in Nuremberg. Some breakthrough achievements made in Nuremberg include:

• 1st Railway in Germany (Scharrer)

• Ohm´s Law of Physics (Ohm)

• Bronze Casting for Art Applications (Burgschmiet)

• 1st Steel Construction Bridge in Germany (Kuppler)

• Synthetic Colour Ultramarin (Leykauf)

• 1st Industrial Electric Power Transmission (Boveri)  

1.1 Middle Franconia, Bavaria

As one of the important administrative districts of Bavaria, Middle Franconia also is home to the second largest city after Munich, Nuremberg. Franconia was named after the Germanic tribe, the Franks, who during the 8th century formed the Frankish Empire controlling most of the Western side of Europe. Franconia has its own unique German dialect, and was a centre of origin for many of Bavaria’s traditional cuisine and culture. Most people who live in Franconia, and Bavaria for that matter, distinguish themselves from the rest of Germany and would not call themselves so due to their differing history which defined a lot of the regions progress until today. The state has over 300 beer breweries and is the origin of various produce encompassing a variety of breads, cheeses, and wurst dishes.

Bavaria is the largest state in Germany. For a very long time it was considered as one of the largest and healthiest economic regions in all of Germany, and even Europe. The GDP output of Bavaria is considered to be in the top 20 countries of the world. If it was its own separate country, it would rank 17th. A lot of the culture in Bavaria and the way of life are distinguished from other parts of Germany. Traditional outfits such as the dirndl and lederhosen are hallmarks of the state. These outfits are known as trachts.ome features of the Bavarian culture and mentality are remarkably distinct from the rest of Germany. Bavarians hold a great deal of pride in their history and traditions.

Bavaria, known as Bayern in Germany, also boasts some of the most beautiful districts in Germany. The Bavarian Alps in the south, the Black Bavarian and Bohemian Forest to the east, bordering the Czech Republic, make a perfect holiday destination. Germans love their outdoors and events involving rock climbing and hiking are commonly held throughout the year, even during winter where activities involve more winter and extreme sports. 

1.2 Germany

1.2.1 Brief History

Germany first appeared as a separate region during the Roman Empire, under the rule of Julius Caesar at about 50 BC. Medieval Germany was divided between various heirs, marking the start of the middle ages and the reign of dukes and princes over emperors. The formation of further different independent states within the region was due to the division between the Protestant north and the Catholic south, causing an inevitable clash in a war known as the Thirty Years War (1618-1648 AD). This marked the fall of the Holy Roman Empire which ruled the region since 962 AD and the start of a modern state and nation including the creation of Prussia, Saxony, and Bavaria.

Fast forwarding to the 20th century, Major political events caused a shift in the country. After the 1918 and 1919 German Revolution and the following surrender of the military ending World War I the Empire was replaced by a republic Parliament. Regardless of the technological and scientific frontier of the time, even in the middle of the Great Depression, the Third Reich has formed in 1933. That period was marked by dictatorship and World War II. The subsequent downfall of Hitler and the third Reich the allied forces has caused division of states in Germany, forming 2 separate countries. East Germany was under the rule of the Soviet Union while West Germany was under the rule of the Allied forces headed by the US. 1990 officially marked the reunification of both East and West Germany into a whole country following the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. Even during all the political shifts of the 20th century, Germany still presented its status and influenced the world in many ways. It was one of the founding members of the European Union, initially formed in 1957. Germany is regarded as a grand power and member of many declarations and organisations including the Euro zone, the Schengen area, the United Nations, the G8, OECD, the G20, and the council of Europe.

1.2.2 Present

Germany maintains a very strong and powerful presence economically and politically in the world. The Vice Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has been considered as one of the most powerful women in the world, not once, but on several occasions. Germany is home to many prominent inventors, scientists, philosophers, musicians, artists as well as a rich culture. This enabled it to develop one of the highest standards of living, with the world’s oldest and well regarded educational institutions, the oldest known healthcare system in addition t social security.. It may not be immediately apparent, but Germany is today operates on a much decentralised system. As everyone knows, London is definitely the capital and focal point for the English, and Paris for the French. However although Berlin may be the capital of Germany and seat of the Federal Parliament, Hamburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich and other major cities are regarded by their inhabitants as being more important when it comes to how their daily lives are run. 

1.2.3 Economy

German manufacturers influenced the extraordinary development of the industry and the country’s standing with its quality of exports. The highly regarded production was not the result of a single industry, but was a collective collaboration of numerous industries spanning everything from manufacturing of electrical, automotive, medical, and household commodities as well as consumer goods of all kinds. Moreover, the country is active in mining, utilities, and technology research and development in almost all these industries. It is a universally acknowledged that Germans are regarded as a very highly skilled labour force with low corruption, large capital stocks, and a leader in innovation.

It is estimated that Germany is the world’s largest exporter valued at over $1.4 trillion in 2011 and the world’s fifth largest economy in terms of GDP. More than 50 companies in the Forbes 500 list are headquarted in Germany. Some worldwide known companies that the public would be familiar with include Siemens, Mercedes, Allianz, BMW, BSAF, DaimlerChrysler, Adidas, Puma Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi and many more. More than 1000 of these companies are labelled as hidden market leaders within their fields.

1.2.4 Infrastructure, Technology and Energy

Germany holds one the of the desnset and largest train transport networks in the world. Its extensive interconnection of its cities and with its neighbouring countries, in addition to its central location in Europe made it a central hub. Autbahn, the german freeway system, boasts as the worlds 3rd largest in terms of its extent. Moreover, Deutsche Bahn trains operate intercity and regional trains from almost every major station. The ICE, InterCity Express trains, are the newest class of high speed trains reaching up to 300kph in certain segments and almost 200kph in the greater part of the network.

Uncountable achievements in the progress of science and technology has been claimed by Germany, especially during the 20th century where its scientists were honoured and received more awards than any other country. Over 103 Germans are Nobel Prize holders in the areas of medicine, engineering and physics, philosophical sciences and chemistry. Almost the whole of modern physics is based on Max Plank’s and Einstein’s contribution. Some prominent figures include Joseph Fraunhofer, Gabriel Fahrenheit, Georg Ohm, Albert Einstein, Heinz Geiger, Carl Gauss, and Konrad Zuse, who built the very first computer.

 

Moreover, notable societies, institutes, and associations were formed in honour of the finest scientists who revolutionised our modern world. Some examples include Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, and Max Planck Institute for Mathematics.

According to ODEX, The energy efficiency bottom-up index for the whole economy in Germany decreased by 18% between 1991 and 2006. Germany has been trying to shift its dependency from oil and coal towards sustainable renewable energies such as nuclear, solar, wind, geo thermal and hydro. An increase from 6.3% to 25% in amount of total energy usage has been observed in renewable energies, also considered among the highest in the world, and because of this Germany has been labelled as "the world's first major renewable energy economy" . Currently the German government has set multiple goals to increase sustainable energy production aiming to:

• Reach CO2 levels 40% under 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050

• Cut energy consumption of the country 50% below 2008 levels by 2050

• Increase the percentage of renewable energy production of the total country consumption to 60% by 2050

The Reichstag building in the German capital, Berlin, is planned to become the first parliament in the world to be completely relying renewable energy. Soon, it is speculated that the entire country is to follow the same trend. According to David Wortmann, Director of Renewable Energy and Resources, Germany Trade and Invest, "The technical capacity is available for the country to switch over to green energy, so it is a question of political will and the right regulatory framework." The current momentum of the country promises its entire feasibility. 

2. SEMIKRON

2.1 Company Profile, Past, Present and Future

SEMIKRON Group is a privately owned family business founded in 1951. SEMIKRON Elektronik has been a leader and innovator in the power electronics industry since its launch. As a private and international firm, it produces chips, modules, and power assemblies for a wide range of industries. SEMIKRON’s products include transistors, diodes, thyristors, power converters, inverters, as well as fully integrated systems which are used in industrial drive units, automation, welding, elevators, uninterrupted power supplies, solar and wind energy, automotive vehicles and more. In addition, company activities covers a vast range from feasibility and proof-of-principle studies, to the development of optimal system configurations, to electrical, thermal and mechanical simulations, qualification and complete series production. 37 companies strong, and with production facilities in Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Korea, Slovakia, South Africa and the US; SEMIKRON ensures fast and reliable service to its customers. The company is devoted to R&D, production, and sales of power electronics provided within its network encompassing 58 subsidiaries provide rapid support and efficient service to its customers worldwide.

SEMIKRON’s "innovation+service" slogan comes from the principle of integrating both of these goals together to achieve the ultimate goal of benefiting the world and community alike. The SEMIKRON values and philosophy operates on the aim of setting standards, and not imitating them. Such examples include the innovative spring contact technology and the first 100% solder free power module. The secret of their success, according to SEMIKRON, is its employee’s personal responsibility, exploring unfamiliar terrains and the regard that the only enemy to progress is the self. It is also the only company among its immediate competitors to remain in the hands of the founding family. SEMIKRON is one of the very few wholly owned by a family business in the industry. Shareholders and share prices do not mean anything, knowledge and technologies are accessible on a global scale to anyone who is interested, but what makes each company unique is its workforce, a company’s employees are its only greatest asset.

In the 50s and 60s, the successful launch of the firm was attributed to the development of the relatively novel rectifier technology incorporating selenium and silicon putting a mark on the then young and growing European power electronics industry. During 1966, nevertheless, there was a need to produce rectifier that can operate without any control, and EMIKRON replied with thyristors. The 80s mainly had the firms concentration and extensive efforts spent in catching up with the market leaders, Japan, who were the undisputed champions for a very long time. In Europe, SEMIKRON has been the sole company which aimed at competing with their Japanese counterparts and fighting the battle for the power electronics future. Through the 90s and into 2000s SEMIKRON formed many co operations with market leaders such as Siemens and had numerous subsidiaries under its operation. Along with Siemens, the development of the now worldwide regarded IGBT technology was a primary objective. SEMIKRON designed the Semitrans housing and freewheeling diode that was able to meet the demands of rapid switching using its state of the art technology.

Of the total industrial energy produced through using electric drives, almost 70% do not implement a speed control technology. Although this can be attributed to energy savings, only 5% of these drives are fitted with such technologies. According to the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association the energy losses exhibited in these drives can be greatly reduced by as much as 30% through utilising variable speed drives relying on power electronics control. This has been a huge goal of SEMIKRON during the past decade.

Following the expansion of the firm through acquisitions of other specialised companies, there has been a recent growing interest in the emerging automotive electronics industry. The takeover of Compact Dynamics in 2010 and VePOINT as well as Drivetek both in 2011, who specialise in application specific solutions and power products for the HEV industry, shows an initiative which officially marked a path towards the hybrid and electric vehicle market. The very first hybrid electric vehicle driven on European roads, the Audi Duo, utilised SEMIKRON products.

2.2 SEMIKRON Technologies

 

2.3 Industry Presence

SEMIKRON owns productions sites in over 10 countries, and engages the industry and its customers in 30 different languages. From the very beginning, individual global support and efforts were a primary goal. The very first power electronics production plant in the southern hemisphere, in Brazil, was started by SEMIKRON. According to Dietrich Heucke, marking coordinator at SEMIKRON International, the success of the company lies in its spirit and the fact that SEMIKRON has remained as SEMIKRON since its inception. It is a partnership and not a public limited company where share prices and shareholders do not have a place within its philosophy. Most other competitors have gone through merges, restructuring, changed names, or went bankrupt and disappeared throughout the years. AEG has become eupec, Siemens turned into Infineon Technologies, BBC became IXYS, GE Semiconductors, and Westinghouse have merged into Powerex, however in France it has become Mitsubishi. Valvo has become Philips Semiconductors; Silec was taken over by Thomson which merged with SGS. STMicroelectronics have merged with ASEA and General instrument to form ABB. However, for over 60 years, SEMIKRON remains as SEMIKRON.

In a BTM Consult survey, it was stated that out of the total 122GW of produced wind energy worldwide, 57 GW are achievable using SEMIKRON products. Moreover, SEMIKRON shares over 30% of the world’s total diode and thyristor modules market. (Source: IMS Research „The global power semiconductor market 2010") Recently, the company has introduced a revolutionary innovative technology called SKIN technology. This enables the packaging and manufacture of semiconductors without wire bonds, soldering connections and even thermal paste. The new SKiN- technology uses a foil that is flexible as well as sintered connections in place of soldering or thermal pasting. This enables flow of higher currents and capabilities of high power cycles. Reduction in inverter volume has been reported to be close to 35%. Between 2009 and 2010, SEMIKRON invested over €70m in sites and equipment in Germany, India, France, Slovakia, China, and Italy. The company has proved its vision in manufacturing products especially for the renewable energy sectors; this is reflected were their products are used in almost 50% of wind power assemblies. It also occupies 98% of the European market for electromagnetic heating equipment and a market leader in the world. Products for uninterruptible power supply systems that guarantee no data loss or system damage that could result from power outages.

Among SEMIKRON’s strive to contribute and stay ahead in the industry, many cooperated activities, and collaborations were formed with leaders such as Siemens, Fuji Electric, Visedo, NREL, and STMicroelectronics. On the other hand, SEMIKRON has been presented with numerous awards such as Top Jobs award, Training and the Bavarian Award for the Promotion of Women. SEMIKRON is also a member of the UN Initiative Global Compact. This is a dedication to human rights, the environment, employing policies, and eradicating corruption. All of this is to be observed by the UN Global Compact Initiative.  

2.4 Innovations and Advancements

1950- Silicon rectifier stacks

1954- Selenium rectifier plates and stacks

1957- Selenium high voltage rectifiers

First selenium overvoltage limiters

1959- Alloyed silicon rectifier diodes

1959- First euro avalanche rectifier dies

1962- Diffused silicon rectifier diodes

1963- First ceramic bridge rectifier in the world for direct PCB use and Plastic encapsulated diodes/bridge rectifiers

1965- Avalanche rectifier diodes

1964- First compact bridge rectifier in a plastic housing

1967-1st HV rectifier HSK (ceramic) and

first Thyristors

1969- Sandwich technology

1970- Isolated bridge rectifiers

1973- Glass passive chip technology

1974- 1st insulated module in the world

1975- Semipack diode/thyristor modules

1984- Bipolar transistors

1985- Semitrans bipolar transistor diodes

1986- Semitrans MOSFET modules

1989- Semitrans IGBT modules

1990- Invention of the soft recovery CAL diode

1991- IGBT drivers and invention of the

Skiip as an intelligent system

1991- IGBT drivers

1992- Skiip technology /CAL diodes

1995- Driver ASICs1996- Plasma EPOS technology /MiniSkiip with spring contacts

1996- Invention of the MiniSkiip

1998- SEMITOP rectifier circuits with solder pins for PCB assembly

1999- SKiM 6-Pack IGBT modules with driver electronics

1999- IGBT modules Skiip technology

2000- Low-power rectifiers: standard, fast and super-fast axial diodes, Schottky diodes, Zener diodes, press-fit diodes, low-level rectifier bridges, and SMDs

2001- AIPM module for automotive applications

2001- Integrated converters for hybrid electric drives

2002- MiniSKiiPII Converter-Inverter-Brake modules up to 30 KW

2004- SKYPER IGBT driver family

2005- SEMiX rectifiers with solder-free spring contacts for electrical connections

2006- SEMiSTART for soft-start devices

2007- SKiM 100% solder-free IGBT modules for hybrid vehicles

2007- Sinter Technology - reliable sintering replaces solder process

2008- MiniSKiiP IPM first intelligent power module for solder-free assembly

2008- SKYPER with fully digital signal processing

2009- SKiiP4 intelligent power module with 3600 A

2010- SKAI 3 phase converter system up to 250kVA

2011- SKAI 3 phase converter system up to 250kVA

2.5 Product Range (Components & Systems)

2009

SKiiP®4:

At 3600 A, the most powerful intelligent module on the market; for use in wind and traction applications

SKiiP® Technology SiNTER Technology

2002

MiniSKiiPII

2nd generation of Converter-Inverter-Brake modules up to 30 KW

2008

MiniSKiiP® IPM

first intelligent power module for solder-free assembly

SKiiP® Technology SPRiNG Technology 1999

SKiM® 6-Pack IGBT

modules with driver electronics

2008

SKYPER®:

with fully digital signal processing 1998

SEMITOP®

rectifier circuits with solder pins for PCB assembly

2007

SKiM®:

100% solder-free IGBT modules for hybrid vehicles

SKiiP® Technology SPRiNG Technology

SiNTER Technology 1996

MiniSKiiP®

first integrated IGBT rectifier circuits in solder-free spring contact technology

2006

SEMiSTARTâ„¢

for soft-start devices 1995

ASICs

optimise the electronic assemblies used to control MOSFET and IGBT modules

2005

SEMiX®

rectifiers with solder-free spring contacts for electrical connections 1992

Fast, soft freewheeling diode with best properties in the world

(CAL-Diode)

2004

SKYPER® IGBT

driver family 1992

SKiiP®

the first IPMs (Intelligent Power Modules) with integrated driver and SKiiP® pressure contact technology 100-1200A / 600-1200V for high-power applications

2003

SEMiX®

first flat IGBT half-bridge family from 250 – 900A with solder-free spring contacts for electrical connections

1987

SEMITRANSâ„¢

MOSFET modules for electric vehicles, high-frequency generators, inductive heating and lasers

SKAI IGBT Systems

< 250 kVA, for electric vehicles

SEMISTACK Renewable Energy

450 kW ~ 6 MkW

SKAI MOSFET System

< 55 kVA, for electric vehicles

SKiiPRACK

450 kW ~ 5 MW

SKAI Multi Converter System

< 40 kVA, for vehicle supplies

SEMISTAC CLASSICSK

Application specific

SEMIKUBE IGBT & Rectifier

75 kW - 1000 kW

3. Personal reflections

3.1 Lifestyle

3.1.1 Language

I was grateful for the opportunity SEMIKRON offered me in contributing up to 50% of the fees towards a German course. The university also assisted me in assigning a language tandem where I can practice the language with a local, while they can practice their English too. In my experience I have found that the German language is a very structured one, and I can finally understand why German is often called a sophisticated language, given the amount of technical papers written in it. German constitutes of many terms and nouns that cannot be translated directly and helps in describing very specific situations and processes. For instance "Stammtisch" would translate in English to "a regular get together with your mates on a specific day and time or place for a chat and having some fun"

3.1.2 Cuisine

Germany has long history of meal of The Lebekuchen along with gluhwein, are a traditional gingerbread originating in Nuremberg and proud product of the Franconian region, They are a favourite among Germans gluhwein, Lebekuchen made especially during the end of the year holiday season. During the Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas market) it was so amazing and tasks really good.

German beer is infamous worldwide for its distinct flavourful plates. The long tradition in some breweries that span over 1000 years since their conception has brought about a sense of pride and quality control laws such as the Bavarian Beer Purity Law. . The selection is endless, from hefeweizen bier or weissbier (wheat beer) and rauchbier (smoked beer) to Wit bier and Dunkel bier (dark beers). Franconia is home to more breweries per square kilometre than any other region in the world. This makes beer n integral part of Franconian and Bavarian culinary in general. In Franconia, beer does not always end up in a glass. Many times beer ends up in a dish as well, for cooking marinating or baking. In Bamberg you can get a beer made with their renowned smoked hops. Since the 15th century, citizens were given the privilege to organise for the purpose of brewing beer. The resulting community’s breweries thus produced higher quality beer that can be produced by individual farmers. They adapted a bierkieser "beer knight" who is in charge of quality control.

A recent modern culinary addition for the Germans is the Doner and the currywurst, which have become trademarks in fast food selection. IT is said that the best shops that prepare them are in Berlin.

 

3.1.3 Regional Diversity

Berlin boasted the most vibrant and diverse architecture in Germany. The difference between West and East Berlin is easy to spot and the mix of modern buildings together with the preserved communist and Reich era buildings really brings a sense of history to the city. Berlin is also known for its contemporary art festivals and the best djs playing the night clubs in the world. Germany has had long past of separation and the diverse regions of the country wether in the north or south, have encountered different histories, giving rise to differing cuisine, music, mindsets and traditions and even dialects of the language. A Northern German, for instance, can have great difficulty in understanding a Bavarian and vice versa. Usually, a person’s dialect or accent gives away where he or she comes from.

3.1.4 The German community

Cultural difference is always a sensitive situation, and is usually unavoidable. Generally both involved parties need to be aware of this fact since not everyone is speaking in their mother tongue. An open mindset without any personal interpretations helps ease any tensions that might arise. Sarcastic humour should be used sparingly as there is a high possibility of being misunderstood or embarrassing situations. Small talk is almost nonexistent and best kept to a minimum in meetings; attendees will want to get down to the heart of the discussion quickly. A certain amount of small talk is of course wanted and is in order, but is best kept until the end of the meeting.

Germans are usually more direct in their everyday life interactions, and certainly at work, this is obvious in the structure of the German language. There are no intentions of being impolite, but being more direct is seen as being honest. The English ways of implying and indirect conversational phrases are hard to understand, for instance saying we may be able to is not a very fulfilling reply. It can signify the possibility of failure or success and it. Germans generally want to know everything in detail and will ask probing and very direct questions about a product/service. This can be misunderstood as rudeness, when really it shows interest. Once the German person has all the details and is satisfied with the information, he/she will be very much committed

It is also notable that criticism as a form of constructive feedback is the usual. One of my German colleagues has told me that they have a habit of criticising a lot and pointing out the bad parts without any compliments no matter how well you do. This usually is what stems their high quality business and products.

 

3.2 Georg-Simon Ohm Hochschule Int’l Club and a European Adventure

My internship was organised as part of a student exchange program between Georg-Simon-Ohm Hochschule and RMIT University. The international club even planned many events during the whole year. Met many people from everywhere in the world and is a unique experience. Regular cultural events, sight-seeing tours, museum visits or excursions etc. are organised to help exchange students adjust to living in Nuremberg and enrich their study life at the Ohm University.

All the events were memorable and I have made many great friends

As with an relocating, there is always a change of lifestyle and coming face to face with a different culture. As a third culture kid, a term used to describe people who are of mixed backgrounds and living in multiple countries, it has come to my understanding that when you learn a language, you learn its culture as well. This was one of my first goals when I met with many of the Erasmus (European exchange students), build relationships, exchange colloquial common terms in different languages and have the best time of our lives.

 

3.3 The Workplace

The atmosphere at SEMIKRON was always one where every question I had was listened to and answered by the more senior colleagues, this provided me with the guidance I needed in crucial moments. I was constantly surrounded by supportive peers who never hesitated to offer their assistance. It was very important for me to develop the professional behaviour as well as the attitude, administration and interpersonal skills which cannot be taught academically. Learning under the direction of an international world class player, SEMIKRON has given me the chance to grow a global viewpoint on the operation of the real word industry.

My role was very dynamic, being in the development department. There was no general agenda that was followed on a day to day basis, but one that kept on changing every day depending on the progress made. From organising meetings with partner firms, arranging several test places and equipment to providing quotes to potential customers, and using the latest cutting edge analysers, the time I spent at SEMIKRON has given an invaluable wealth of information and experience. All of this never failed to give me a great sense of responsibility. The internship has exceeded my expectations I had before I began. I believe it is fair to say that this has been one of the best experiences of my life. I worked to the best of my abilities and strived to improve myself as much as possible. I enjoyed the product development field. This is a very dynamic industry and R&D lies at the heart of engineering, it provides the fertile ground to generate ideas that would eventually materialise into products and processes that help the world become more productive, safer, and more efficient. The company turned out to be even more phenomenal than I anticipated.

In the course of 9 months, the insight that I gained helped me re-evaluate my initial career goals. The experience ultimately had me change my post graduation plans. After graduating I feel I need the opportunity to explore different fields and areas of engineering and beginning my career at an organisation that offers exactly that. Right now I want to get involved in R&D where I want to take an idea and build prototypes and finally production into the market. Unfortunately R&D is almost nonexistent in Australia. The major players have left the country during the past decade or so due to high labour rates and the close proximity of the cheaper Asian market.. My aim is, if i do not get involved with a global company that would offer the option of internal overseas transfer is to gain a few years of experience and head to the North America/Europe where opportunities in R&D exist

At SEMIKRON, I was given full responsibility to get the work done by myself. There was minimal supervision and guidance, this maximised my learning experience and sharpened my skills. This environment made it easy to assess my strengths and weaknesses. Taking on the responsibility of such a project allows one to better understand the need of an excellent business approach to achieve the expected result with a high level of independent leadership, maturity, and individual growth. My managers made sure I understand the leadership qualities needed to direct a team of engineers. They have articulated their ideas clearly, demonstrated risk taking and the importance of exploring new territory, and not forgetting their collaboration skills. As a leader it is important to be in a position that fosters change and allows the initiation of new ventures.

I admire the relaxed workplace culture at SEMIKRON. It was very relaxed and adapted an open office style where meetings or even presentations could be held in the kitchen area and many open spaces to have group meetings, sometimes even at the canteen or in outdoor terraces. SEMIKRON Action Team (SAT) is the company’s recreational activities group, which consistently organised events from marathons, to special ceremonies and even discounted offers for various

I would have never been able to progress during my experience without the help from everyone I met. They all influenced me in some way. If I would do something different, it would be interacting with the colleagues in other departments more often to gain a broader exposure to the company. The way that engineering is applied in the industry is completely different than the academia. In the industry, engineering is carried out in projects and involves heavy problem solving and careful time management skills. There are many factors that contribute to the success of a project, such as quality control, management I believe my performance exceeded my own goals and expectations. I learned a lot about myself professionally and personally. I developed a sense of direction in my career and life. The company was impressed and welcomed me back anytime.

The experience has widened my views on engineering as a profession. I love what I do and I think this is the hardest thing that an employer tries to spot in a prospective employee. I tried to make a contribution to the firm; this is a mutual benefit for both parties. I gain experience and the organisation can gain a graduates fresh outlook on their methods. Sometimes it is harder to see issues when you have been surrounded by them for a very long time; interaction with some of the older generation at my workplace was harder than I thought. The cultural difference brings a barrier that is hard to take down when trying to strike casual conversations that would build up rapport.

Before this opportunity I look back at myself and cannot call myself a professional engineer. I think that SEMIKRON realises the benefit of involving international interns, me being the first. Although they have local German students who are put in industry placements and final year projects. There are many benefits to students and the organisation on an international level. Engineering is a profession and not a job that satisfies public service. It aims to make our world a better, safer place. An enthusiastic and eager engineer must ask as many questions as possible and must be able to learn any job through training and time, but the lack in personal skills is a dead kill if they are weak.

On the other hand, there were a few other goals that I wanted to achieve while with SEMIKRON. One was to test the waters of the electronics industry, to see where it fits into my career goals and my personal. Moreover, comparing it to my previous experiences, it was interesting to see how this industry operates differently than in the oil industry. I am a very independent person, when it comes to learning and practicing. I learnt that a professional needs to learn how to ask questions, because usually this is the best and fastest method to learn. And a great team member when it comes to discussions as I never take any suggestions lightly, and try to take in as much as possible while giving any input on thoughts that others or me might have. What I did especially well would have to be my expression of enthusiasm towards all the company’s activities, from concept generation and marketing, to feasibility studies, sales and interaction with partners and competitors.

My advice for anyone going on an international industry experience is to go with the open mindset that you are going to be overwhelmed at first and there is a lot to be learnt. Take the opportunity to ask a lot of questions, a good engineer always asks questions. Be expected to change many of your views, become exposed to multiple cultural and most of all, enjoy what the experience has to offer. Many challenges are going to be faced, and it certainly going to involve some hardships and but life is a challenge and you learn to enjoy the challenges.