Trainee program

The Belgian transmission system operator Elia, which is headquartered in Brussels, has been a shareholder of 50Hertz since 2010. Consequently it is also a close partner of 50Hertz. Both network operators are part of the Elia Group. After Elia's share rose to 80% in 2018, cooperation continued to be systematically strengthened.

Use what has been learned in a new environment

As an industrial engineer, I was delighted to have the opportunity to complete my stay abroad at Elia's Portfolio Management Office. The Portfolio Management Office is responsible for the investment planning and lays the foundation for projects and their implementation in the coming years. Since both technical and commercial factors are very important in the preparation of the investment planning, I benefitted greatly from the trainee stations I already completed at 50Hertz, for example the regulatory management and in the project area transformer stations.

Many interfaces in the multilingual city of Brussels

In the portfolio management office I and a colleague from Elia were assigned to get an overview of Elia's portfolio. At the same time, I got to know different areas through the expert interviews to identify the specific risks and unknowns of the portfolio. I was particularly impressed that all employees at Elia are multilingual and the languages get mixed throughout different meetings.

Develop new ideas through differences

All in all, the stay abroad was very valuable for me. Apart from the similarities between the two European network operators; I also saw the differences more clearly: What is the regulatory framework in the two countries? What are our biggest challenges in the next few years? How do we draft and manage projects to meet these challenges? Which competences are particularly appreciated and promoted? What motivates employees and how do they work together most efficiently?

With all these impressions I started in the portfolio management team of 50Hertz in October 2018. I am pleased that I am able to continue to work with my Belgian colleagues and I strongly hope that I can strengthen the close network of two European network operators as a mediator and bridge builder, based on my experience in the 50Hertz and Elia environment.

Change the perspective

Working with a non-governmental organization (NGO) offers the opportunity of getting to know a different and less technical working environment than 50Hertz. I spent three months with NABU, the largest environmental association in Germany. At the Federal Office in Berlin, I supported the team "Energy Policy and Climate Protection", which deals with the topics of energy policy, grid expansion, energy efficiency and the expansion of renewables. I was pleasantly surprised at how openly I - as a 50Hertz employee - was taken in and how well the collaboration worked. I found it particularly exciting to get to know NABU's point of view, to focus on nature's compatibility with topics such as the energy transformation and network expansion, and to gain an external view of 50Hertz's actions. This change of perspective made the NGO mission especially attractive for me.

Dive into the world of NGOs

During my assignment at the NABU, I contributed to the preparation of a background paper on wind energy and the awarding of a defamatory award for particularly environmentally harmful behaviour. Since much of NABU's work is to raise awareness in society, politics, and industry regarding nature conservation, network and lobbying events are held regularly. Among other things, I had the opportunity to attend a parliamentary breakfast, the preparation of an anti-coal demo and a workshop on wind energy. My highlight, however, was the participation in the World Climate Change Conference in Poland. Here I was able to get an idea of how multilateral negotiations proceed and what role NGOs play in these negotiations.

What I have gained from this experience

From my work at NABU, I got to understand how complex the impact of infrastructure on nature is and how important the exchange with environmental organizations regarding the grid expansion is in order to find the best solution for all stakeholders. Not only did I learn a lot in terms of content, but I also gained a lot of new experiences during the various events and through the contact with my team at the NABU that will accompany me in the future.

Get to know each department independently

Thanks to the trainee programme, I can start my career at 50Hertz and in the sector in a way that would otherwise hardly have been possible. For instance, as part of the programme, we can learn about all departments through regular department presentations. We, as trainees, prepare these meetings independently, i.e. we gather questions about the strategy or tasks of the department. We also independently coordinate the dates on our own, coordinate everything and moderate the meeting. I was particularly fascinated by the discussions with the technical departments, for example with Offshore. I have a commercial background and can gain greater knowledge of electrical engineering through these discussions. If I still have questions after the one-hour meeting, I can always take them up with the colleagues of the department.

First trainee assignment: Corporate Development Department

I completed my first assignment at the Corporate Development department. For three months, I contributed to the implementation of the Eco programme.

The Eco programme bundles a number of activities to modernise the working environment at 50Hertz. Eco is driven by two challenges from the very heart of 50Hertz: the introduction of a standard digital documentation storage system as well as easier cooperation between departments and within teams and facilitating knowledge exchange.

As a trainee, I was more specifically involved in the topic of change management. Because I had already worked with many change and commitment processes, this was the perfect start for me. I was able to contribute many of my earlier experiences and support my colleagues to organise the project in such a way that the employees could identify with and become part of the process.

Independent concepts for company practice

Among other things, I was responsible for the development of a communication plan. I was able to do this independently but regularly consulted with my supervisor so I could receive feedback on the progress. My concept was still used when I had already started my assignment at Business Controlling. I am very pleased to see how my suggestions as a trainee have actually made a difference in the day-to-day activities of the company.

Electrotechnician in a central company project of the Controlling Department

I have completed my previous trainee assignments at the departments of Strategic Grid Planning, Controlling and Regional Centre Nord in Güstrow. All three of these are very different departments which I could not have gotten to know in the same way if I had started my career in the regular manner. During my studies, for example, I would never have thought that my electrical engineering background would enable me to assist in a central company project at the Controlling department and to give presentations to department managers as a trainee.

Collaboration with colleagues at the regional centre

Before my assignment at Controlling, I was already able to learn about the working life outside headquarters and was employed at Regional Centre Nord in Güstrow in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Regional Centre Nord is characterised by a very high feed-in of wind power, both on- and offshore. The maintenance and optimisation of operating facilities is therefore a key factor to ensure the security of supply. During my assignment, I identified and implemented possibilities to optimise the maintenance of different electrotechnical operating facilities through various measures. For a first problem analysis, I assisted the employees in their daily work. Together, we carried out maintenance and inspection works. The input of colleagues made it easier for me to quickly determine and implement the optimisation measures. Although this assignment meant that I was on the road a lot, my supervisor took the time to regularly consult with me.

Better understanding of the company in its entirety

At the regional centre, I was able to experience for myself how exactly the concepts from headquarters are put into practice. Most colleagues from headquarters were never trainees and often only spend one day at the regional centre due to time constraints. Thanks to my assignment in Güstrow, I was able to understand much more quickly what goes on in the ‘field’ and what this means for the entire company.

Frank Kowalowski

Head of Order Management division at the Grid Operations department

“My department benefited greatly from the fresh view of the trainees” - experience feedback from a manager about cooperation with trainees

From October to December 2015, I was able to accompany a trainee at our Grid Operations department as a professional supervisor. As head of the Order Management division, I lead a team that takes care of the planning, ordering and performance of grid maintenance. To support this department as a trainee, very good knowledge of electrical engineering is indispensable.

I already get to know applicants during the selection procedure before the trainee assignment and could therefore already consider which subjects from my field of work could match the interests of the respective candidate. Every trainee assignment here is accompanied by a specific task. It seemed to me that a process analysis task in the field of maintenance planning and implementation would be suitable for the trainee and also very important for the company.

Due to a readjustment to the IT tool used for asset management and maintenance planning that was planned within the company, a 360° analysis of the existing processes and interfaces needed to be carried out. It was the trainee’s task to question existing processes and in particular analyse them with regard to their usefulness and effectiveness as well as their user-friendliness in the implementation. The trainee worked closely together with colleagues and interviewed them to identify potentials for improvement and make processes more transparent and more user-oriented. Research, discussions, problem definition and solution were all done independently by the trainee. This also included direct contact with employees from other divisions of the company and cooperation with the regional centres.

The trainee programme requires a high degree of initiative. The trainee also organised workshops which he held independently. The goal was to involve different user groups in the analysis. The trainee worked independently during the handling of the tasks but my team and I provided advice and support through regular discussions. The results delivered by the trainee will be a significant contribution to the design of the new IT tool, not in the least for the ‘acceptance’ of this tool by all affected users.

During the three-month assignment, the trainee was also able to repeatedly visit our construction sites together with colleagues and gain better a better understanding of the working environment ‘in the field’. This made it possible to get to know the company and the tasks in the field of grid operations even better from as broad a perspective as possible.

To participate in the selection procedure, it is imperative for you to submit your application documents within the time allotted. You can only apply using the online application form which you can open with the “Apply now!” button in the job position. The job positions are published on this page (at the top).

Please apply with complete application documents. These include your cover letter, CV, graduation diploma and relevant certificates for your studies. From your application letter, we would like to learn what makes a career start via a trainee programme so interesting for you. Evaluations, e.g. of your internships or working student activities, are also an important part of your application.

Unfortunately, any applications received after the application deadline cannot be considered.

Trainees are selected through a two-tiered selection procedure.
After careful consideration of the application documents, we invite selected candidates for a telephone interview. We already start issuing invitations before the application deadline. Applicants who have successfully completed the telephone interview are invited for the second selection stage, a one-day selection procedure.

If your application was not considered during the first selection stage, we will inform you of this by phone or by E-Mail.

The second selection stage is a one-day selection procedure at the 50Hertz headquarters in Berlin. As a rule, four to five applicants are invited. For the selection procedure, a full day should be planned (including travel time).

Managers from the different departments as well as HR representatives participate in the selection procedure on the company’s behalf. Within one week after the selection procedure, the participants are informed of the result. If you are interested, you can always ask for an individual feedback Meeting.

How do I apply at 50Hertz?

Please only use our online application forms which you can access through our job positions (see above).

Which degree do I need to have in order to apply?

The positions are exclusively posted for graduates with a master degree or diploma.

When can I apply?

While the trainee positions are posted, you can apply using the online application form.

Which documents need to be included in my application?

Please submit a cover letter, your current CV, an overview of your grades, diplomas (high school, college or university) and evaluations by any recent employers (internships, working student activities etc.). From your application letter, we would like to learn why you are interested in a career start via a trainee programme.

What do I do if I want to upload more files than there are available upload fields in the application form?

Unfortunately, you cannot send us more files than there are upload fields. The best approach is to bundle your documents in a PDF document and send this to us.

I am currently completing my studies. Can I still apply?

If your studies end by late September, you can apply without any problem. In this case, just send us an overview of your current grades and simply submit your diploma later on.

Are my travel expenses for the selection procedure in Berlin reimbursed?

Yes. We will gladly cover any reasonable costs. Please use public transport when possible. For the reimbursement, we need the original transport tickets / receipts as well as your bank account information.

The trainee programme takes place at several locations. Does this mean I have to move?

No, the main place of work for the trainee programme are the headquarters in Berlin. Assignments outside Berlin are only temporary and 50Hertz will help you find temporary accommodation.

How long does the trainee programme take?

The trainee programme lasts 24 months in total and starts on 1 October.

How many stations will I have during the traineeship?

The training schedule is drawn up individually for each trainee. As a rule, all trainee stations take between three and four months; shorter assignments are possible in individual cases.

Will I be hired after the trainee programme?

We expressly aim at filling a vacant position after the successful conclusion of the trainee programme.

What if I have any other questions?

Linda Schmid, who is responsible for the 50Hertz trainee programme, will be glad to answer your questions: contact her at work@50hertz.com.