Verena Zielonka, born 1985, gained her first professional experience as a trainer in human resources development after completing her training at an insurance company, before graduating from Ludwigshafen University with a bachelor's degree in International Human Resources Management and Organization (IPO). After successfully graduating in 2013, Zielonka started as Human Resources Manager at Freudenberg & Co. KG. Since 2017, the 33-year-old has once again been a student at Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences: she is studying Human Resources Management (MBA HRM) there - alongside her work as Human Resources Manager, now at Freudenberg Business Services KG in Weinheim. SPEKTRUM spoke to her about her time studying in Ludwigshafen, the practicality of her IPO studies, her work at Freudenberg and the double burden of a part-time MBA.
Spektrum: Ms. Zielonka, you graduated from Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences with a Bachelor of Arts degree in "International Human Resources Management and Organization" in 2013. What exactly made it easier for you to enter the professional world, both professionally and personally?
Zielonka: Above all, the practical relevance of the lectures prepared me and my fellow students for the professional world. In addition to the theoretical basics, our professors always included a comparative example from practice, so that it became more tangible for us. In addition, we had lectures on all relevant fields of activity in the area of human resources (HR). That was a great basis for a generalist introduction to HR.
What made you decide to study at Ludwigshafen University at that time?
I found the specialization of the degree program with a focus on HR interesting and, in particular, that this focus already began in the first semester. In addition, it was a very practice-oriented course of study, which was very important to me personally. I also wanted to stay in the region.
Do you have fond memories of your time at Ludwigshafen University?
Yes, very much! It was a great time. At least, in retrospect, the positive memories outweigh the memories of the exam periods.
Is that also the reason why you decided to study for a part-time master's degree at Ludwigshafen University in cooperation with the Management Academy Heidelberg?
It's exactly the same. I really liked the content of the bachelor's degree and the whole environment in Ludwigshafen. So it was obvious to me that I wanted to complete my master's degree here as well. Although I wouldn't have done so if the content here didn't exactly match my expectations.
Today you are Human Resources Manager at Freudenberg in Weinheim. How would you describe your work here?
What excites me most about my job is the variety of tasks. On the one hand, my area of activity includes the classic HR tasks from A to Z, such as looking after employees or recruiting. In addition, as a global administrator, I look after our applicant management system and have been able to gain experience in international project management, as we have introduced the system at our sites in China, India and Mexico, for example. I also particularly enjoy selecting and supervising our trainees as part of a Group-wide trainee program in the IT area.
To what extent did your studies prepare you for your current job?
Of course, a course of study can never prepare you for a specific job, since working life offers a completely different environment than a university. But since, as I said, all facets of HR work were covered in my studies and I worked with practical examples, I had a secure feeling when I started my career. I always knew what my colleagues were talking about, even without having had any concrete practical experience. That was particularly helpful to me.
You are currently in the second semester of the part-time MBA program in HRM. What challenges are you facing, also with regard to your full-time job?
It is a great challenge to work full time while studying and to continue to do justice to all the issues both professionally and privately. However, time is basically always in short supply, so in the end it's a matter of organization and prioritization. I am glad that I have a great employer who supports me very well not only financially but also with time flexibility.
What do you like about the MBA HRM? Have you already been able to put the newly acquired knowledge to use?
I particularly like the topicality and breadth of the topics. It's fun to deal with HR trends academically at the university and to transfer them into practice. You also get to know many different companies and industries through your fellow students and have a great exchange with each other. This also helps you to expand your own personal network.
Would you recommend the part-time program to others?
I would definitely recommend the program to anyone who wants to learn about current and future HR topics in a scientific yet practical way while working.
Would you like to give the university management, the Center for Scientific Continuing Education (ZWW) or your old department something else to take away?
Perhaps just one tip: In my environment, I am noticing more and more frequently that periods spent abroad are becoming increasingly important in the curriculum vitae, even for us HR managers. I would like to see Ludwigshafen University succeed in linking the internship semester with the semester abroad. In other words, it should actively support internships abroad. At my time, there was either the option of completing a domestic internship or going abroad for a study semester. I decided on the semester abroad because I had already been able to gain domestic experience as a working student - an internship abroad would have combined both.
Thank you very much for the interview!
