Jan Ruecker
“Intensive and challenging” is how Jan Ruecker described his year at WMG, studying for an MSc in Management for Business Excellence. We asked him to talk about his time with us in more detail – and how what he learned helped him launch a new career back in his native Germany.
Jan first arrived at Warwick in 2010, having gained a first-class honours degree in Engineering from Coventry University. “I began my studies at the University of Applied Sciences in Muenster, Germany then transferred to Coventry for the final year. Although I was already very close to Warwick I researched all my options and looked at institutions in Europe, Singapore, and Australia before confirming that the Management for Business Excellence course at Warwick was the best Master’s choice for me. Not only do the University and department have a great reputation, but the programme itself seemed to be very much focused on today’s industry and its changing needs. Also, many courses I looked at take two years to complete. A 12-month programme is a big advantage for obvious reasons.” Why did he choose to study for an MSc in the first place though? “After talking to employers at a number of jobs fairs, I soon realised that having an MSc would make me a lot more valuable to employers. I also felt that I wasn’t yet fully prepared for the real world of work. I still had plenty to learn if I was to make a positive impact on a business.” On to his course itself then, which Jan described as a “great experience”. We asked him to go into a little more detail: “The whole structure really surprised me. Instead of just sitting in lectures, we spent a lot of time working as teams on projects and case studies. The lecturers gave us a brief and then let us run with it, though they were always there for guidance and to answer questions. “We were having to think – and act – like a business consultancy with our results constantly measured and assessed. We researched topics ourselves and, as it replicated the real world, we were always working to tight deadlines. So it’s definitely intensive and challenging, but you learn by doing rather than listening, which is very powerful.
“By going beyond the theory and exploring how subjects work in practical business terms, you learn how to use them, rather than just knowing about them. That goes for everything from leadership and knowledge management through to using Six Sigma approaches to improve processes.” Jan also appreciated the opportunity to work with fellow students from around the world. “That was extremely rewarding yes,” he said. “Although I have to say that the course was hard work, it was also enjoyable and great fun.” Jan finished his MSc programme in September 2011 and returned to Germany, ready to take his next step. “I had applied for jobs while I was at WMG and was invited for a number of interviews. I found that my experience at Warwick did help me through the recruitment process. During the interviews for example, I felt confident in what I had learned and was genuinely enthusiastic about the subjects I was talking about. I think this came across strongly. “My experience helped me a lot in the assessment centres too. Working as a team, being given tasks and having to complete them to a deadline… I was well used to that!” Jan found himself in the fortunate position of having two job offers. He chose to join BASF Coatings where he is now a Project Engineer within a state-of-the-art chemical plant. So does what he learned at WMG have an impact on his day-to-day work? “Yes definitely,” he said. “The course helped me to take a holistic view of things. You don’t see subjects in isolation, but find out how they all work together to create the whole picture. Plus I feel that I am able to take on board and assimilate new things quickly. That’s extremely important when you first join an organisation and need to build your knowledge very quickly.” |
