Monika, you ended up at the CITT more or less by chance in April 2023 – how did that come?
First of all, I took a completely different path after graduating from high school and studied game design. Parallel to the bachelor's degree, a few fellow students and I developed and launched an online multiplayer game in which players compete against each other in the network. A company became aware of us and hired us for a project in the field of software development. From this first order, our own start-up emerged in autumn 2016. We started quite clichéd in a basement office with barred windows. When self-employment came to an end at the end of 2022, I continued my education in the field of 2D and 3D CAD design and looked for jobs at the same time. The CITT job advertisement was forwarded to me by a friend from Hanover who already knew people at Continental. The requirements of the position fit my profile like a glove – which fortunately was also seen that way in the CITT. And so, for almost a year now, I have been driving the topics of augmented reality and 3D printing forward.
How did you experience the transition from start-up to corporation?
To be honest, a large company like Continental was not on my radar as a potential employer. On the one hand, it was not clear to me how great the interest and potential is in terms of new technologies and what many opportunities this opens up. On the other hand, I would not have expected to be able to work within a group as freely and independently as I experience at the CITT. With new ideas, I always find open ears here, which is really important for such an innovative topic. On the other hand, I am happy to overlook the fact that coordination processes and approvals sometimes take a really long time. What could be clarified within a short conversation in the start-up sometimes needs umpteen loops here: This is understandable, but also slows down. Overall, I'm super satisfied here!
Your job title is “specialist Transformation & Qualification AR and 3D Printing”– how can we imagine that?
My role is versatile and I work very independently – I really like both. As well as the combination of operational work – the creation of training content for AR and 3D printing, programming, design, 3D modeling, animation – and working closely with people. It's nice to be able to use my skills for something meaningful like skilling, rather than developing the next Call of Duty. In my work, I always keep in mind our colleagues for whom we create the content. In order to get to know their needs better, I exchange ideas closely with the locations, see what is needed and point out the possibilities and limitations. Like a translator, I want to bring the technologies of the future closer to those who previously had little contact with them. After all, the result should also be used. There is a lot of potential for these topics: We are currently working on internal AR prototypes for training purposes in order to make the work processes on the machines clear – even away from the workshops. I can also imagine an advanced AR course in the CITT.
Thank you for the interview, dear Monika, and good luck for your future path!
