My 6 Months at LÜTZE

After finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Literature in the UK I was unsure of which career path I wanted to take. I was interested in Marketing and Communications but I was unsure of what this job role would fully entail or if I would enjoy it. I also didn’t know where to begin trying to gain the experience that I would need, especially as work experience and jobs are so competitive in the UK.

The prospect of working abroad had always appealed to me, so when the opportunity arose for an English speaker to work in the Marketing Department of LUETZE International group in Germany, I was thrilled and saw the perfect opportunity to gain experience in Marketing while also living abroad and experiencing a different country for six months.

The company has two sites based in Weinstadt, about 20 km from Stuttgart, and as the name implies the town is surrounded by Vineyards for miles around. However, these tranquil Vineyards that stretch to the City of Stuttgart enclose miles of industry and manufacturing, home to names such as, Mercedes and Porsche.

I was immediately immersed into the department and it was great as no two days were the same. One day I would be checking translated articles and texts or updating the website and the next I would be creating a game or images for the Facebook and Twitter pages. I was also able to manage the UK Twitter account, which gave me an insight into how important Social Media is to present your business, brand image and products in a more informal manner.

I also noticed subtle cultural differences between the UK and Germany, in particular the regional Schwabian cuisine. Maultaschen and Linsen mit Spätzle were among a few of my favourite meals, but I must admit I was at first dubious to try them and missed the comfort of an English Roast Dinner!

The company has subsidiaries all over the world and it wasn’t until I started to work at LÜTZE that I realised how important it is for a company to portray an International identity to its customers. I was lucky enough to be able to be a part of many projects and events, including the SPS Drives and Controls Trade Fair in Nuremberg. It was my first experience of being a part of a large scale event and being part of the Marketing team allowed me to see the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to make the fair a success. All of the visual material that can be viewed on the stand to make it appealing and interactive to customers- right down to the final polishing of the showcased products, is all done by a hardworking team and it was great to be a part of it.

I was also able to visit the printing company that the LÜTZE Marketing Department uses to print all of their leaflets and brochures. It was interesting to see all of the different types of printers and printing processes that take place, one machine was still in use from the 50’s. I was also able to see a leaflet that I had been working on being printed and the care taken to make sure that the colours were exactly right.

My time at LÜTZE has gone very quickly and it has been invaluable for me to spend time, not only in a Marketing Department but also a business environment from which I have learned how the vital structures of a business are all connected. I am hoping to go on and progress further in Marketing, Events and PR and I am extremely grateful to LÜTZE for giving me the experience that I need to move on and advance. Hopefully I will return at some point to visit everyone who made my time here such a memorable experience.