BA in Great Britain, 2014
At a glance
Where, who, when
- What was done abroad? Practical training with practical project and bachelor thesis
- Company, location, country: Bosch, Stowmarket (Suffolk, England, Great Britain)
- Homepage of the company: www.bosch-garden.com/gb/en/garden-tools/homepage/index.jsp
- Degree programme at FH Aachen, Faculty 8: Mechanical engineering with areas of specialisation in design and development
- Start and end of stay abroad: 13/03/2014 to 25/09/2014
- In which subject-specific semester did you carry out the practical project or Bachelor's thesis? In semester 6
- Name of the supervisor of the project/bachelor's thesis at the UAS: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heynen, additionally as 2nd supervisor Mr Dipl.-Ing. Schönwald
Preparations
- When did you start the preparations? At the beginning of February 2014, as I was accepted at fairly short notice at the end of January.
- How did you contact the employer? Application by email, followed by a telephone interview, then email contact again to organise before the start.
- How long did the application process take and what documents were required?
- From advertisement to application deadline: approx. 2 months + 1 ½ months time until start of work
- Required for application: Cover letter, CV
- Needed before start: Copy of identity card
- Required at the start: ID card, driving licence, qualification certificate, birth certificate - Useful tips or further information for preparation:
- if necessary, buy a pre-paid mobile phone card locally or enquire about international tariffs from the provider beforehand
- if formalities/proofs and certificates are required for your studies, contact the International Office, Examination Office or examination chairperson beforehand to obtain information
- remember to bring a power socket adapter
Financial
- Did you receive funding to finance your stay abroad? Erasmus scholarship (early application when planning an internship abroad, even if you do not yet have a permanent position! Get in touch with the contact person at the UAS). The amount is calculated according to the length of the practical training and paid out before the internship.
- Did you receive a salary from your employer? Yes.
- Approximately how much were the travelling costs to the host country? Approx. 100€. Cheap flights with Ryanair to London Stansted, then train to Stowmarket (internet booking in advance cheaper).
- What are the approximate living and accommodation costs in the host country? All costs are higher than in Germany. Stowmarket: Rent 400-500€ for room in shared flat + 300-400€ living costs.
- Did you have to take out additional health insurance? My stay abroad was covered by German health insurance, so no additional contract necessary. Be sure to ask your insurance company!
- Is further insurance necessary? You must take out your own health and accident insurance. The DAAD offers insurance packages for abroad that cover all the necessary insurances and are cheaper than individual contracts. Bosch only covers liability insurance for working hours.
On site
- What formalities had to be completed after arrival?
- fill out some forms on the first day of work
- open a bank account (uncomplicated and free of charge)
- if medical treatment is necessary, you have to register with the national NHS system, otherwise not - How was the search for accommodation organised? Employer sends a list with references, otherwise you have to search online yourself. I had a few offers, so I was able to get an offer quickly and at very short notice.
- Where is the best place to live? There are 3 student houses run by a landlord where most Bosch students live (good connections, shared activities, lots of contacts). Otherwise rooms in private houses (often offered).
- What are the local shopping facilities like?
- a few supermarkets nearby
- small town centre with a few shops
- for larger purchases, Ipswich & Bury St. Edmunds can be reached quickly by train - What is cheap or expensive in your host country?
- food, rent, train travel are expensive (for under 26s it may be worth getting a Railcard with 30% off all tickets)
- clothes & some electronics are slightly cheaper - How far did you live from the company and what was your daily commute to work like? About a 10 minute walk, not far from student houses either. Bosch is quite centrally located in Stowmarket.
- What can you say about the company location? What leisure activities / excursions / tourist attractions are there locally?
- Stowmarket is a quiet little town with the essentials in terms of shops
- gyms, swimming pools, football pitches available
- for going out, shopping and short trips, Bury St.Edmunds & Ipswich can be reached in 1/2 hour by train
- nearest seaside town can be reached in 1 hour by train
- trips to Cambridge, Norwich and London are highly recommended & can be reached by train in 1 or 2 hours
- walking & cycling is possible everywhere. - Are there any special customs/customs among the locals and what is an absolute taboo? I have found the locals to be very helpful, open and patient. You should be polite, small talk is very common.
About the employer
- Describe the company briefly!
- Offshoot of Robert Bosch GmbH in the Power Tools division: Garden Tools
- Bosch is a leader in Power Tools and is establishing itself more and more in the garden tools sector
- several Bosch Lawn&Garden sites in the UK
- internationally orientated company, therefore many different nationalities represented - Which department did you work in? Development and research in the engineering department
- Were there any special features worth mentioning? This department is subject to strict confidentiality. In this department, all areas (purchasing, marketing, engineering etc.) are located in an open-plan office (insights/impressions from other areas & from working together).
- Topic of your Bachelor's thesis: Practical project: Investigation of the noise development of a lawn mower
Bachelor's thesis: Study of the air flow in a lawn mower to improve collection performance
Focus: Work on lawn mowers, combination of practical (workshop) & office-based work, no CAD. - Was the topic of the Bachelor's thesis specified by the company or could you choose it yourself? Topic area specified by work area (lawnmower), exact topic chosen by myself in consultation with company.
- How many hours did you work on average? 37.5 hours per week, Mon-Thu: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fri: 8 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
- Other comments on the practical project / Bachelor's thesis:
- Bachelor's thesis/project work must be addressed before the start of the internship
- Request supervision of the thesis in the company, as it is not directly planned.
Final considerations - Conclusion
- How would you rate your stay abroad overall? Very valuable for me!
- many new experiences, insights
- got to know the country and its people intensively
- got to know myself even better
- significantly improved my language skills. - What were the high and low points of your stay?
High points: Road trip through the UK at the end of my stay, travelling in general, submitting my Bachelor's thesis
Low points: partly the writing of the Bachelor's thesis, as organisation from afar was complicated & a lot of writing outside of working hours - What will remain unforgotten? The helpfulness and openness I experienced, especially during hiking tours.
- What advice would you like to give to other students who would like to write their Bachelor's thesis abroad? A stay abroad is always very valuable, not only for your CV but also for your own personality and development. It is worth finding out about the country and its people at an early stage and, if necessary, contacting former students. Never shy away from asking questions!
Photos from the semester abroad
(Kopie 1)
FH Aachen | S. Kowalewski
FH Aachen | S. Kowalewski
FH Aachen | S. Kowalewski
FH Aachen | S. Kowalewski
FH Aachen | S. Kowalewski