Career Steps – 4 Questions to Axel Kimmel

Axel Kimmel, Production and Operations Management, IBM Global Business Services – SAP Consultant Automotive

Why did you decide on an extra-occupational master's program?

• The theory only gets actual substance with the transfer into my everyday work. That's why I realized that I wanted to shape my master's program in a dual manner.

What do you like particularly well about your chosen degree program and the university?

• I particularly like the split of attendance into two-week module blocks, combined with the ability to live right on campus while completing the semesters. This creates – together with the other, partly international students – an incredibly productive community. Added to this is the successful and experienced organization of the HECTOR School staff. What I like about POM is the high practical relevance of the lectures and the balance between mathematical optimization models and their application in a logistical context. Particularly noteworthy is the high qualification of the lecturers in their fields – it is inspiring to learn from people of that caliber.

In which area do you work at IBM and what do you enjoy the most in practice?

• At IBM, I work as an SAP consultant in the automotive sector. There, I can work with the latest SAP systems in the context of everyday project activities and deal intensively with problems in the logistics field of the automotive industry. In addition to the SAP learning effect, I can also deal with agile project management. I especially like that, from the first day on, my colleagues were fully involved in all the happenings and I was able to prove myself and my skills. At IBM, I like the incredibly high level of helpfulness and the close networking with colleagues from SAP Practice, as well as from other areas.

Up until now, what has been your highlight at Master@IBM?

• During my studies, the highlight was definitely my stay at the partner university of KIT in Shanghai. This semester abroad is scheduled for all students of my degree program. My highlight in my work as an SAP consultant is the cooperation on equal terms with my colleagues. Even as the youngest member of the team, I get a lot of appreciation and have the feeling that my opinion is of interest to others. In addition, we regularly strengthen our cohesion with a variety of team events.