Justyna Pilarczyk is a Global HR Graduate Trainee at Schneider Electric’s Warsaw Hub. She says that the company is a place where young people are considered drivers of the future.
She penned an informative blog about the typical day in the life of a Schneider Electric intern.
Discovering a perfect fit
"I have thousands of things to tell you about my time here so far and how it is aligned with the Core Values of the organization. Everything started when I saw Schneider Electric’s job offer: Human Resources intern. I thought that this is a perfect fit for me," writes Justyna.
"Let me explain why: I have always wanted to work within HR. I enjoy working and helping people. In addition, our team provides support to our employees in Spain and it is a perfect opportunity for me to practice and improve my Spanish language skills. I did not have any previous experience in HR but I was dead set on getting this opportunity. And here I am."
A modern organization
"I really liked Schneider’s image as a modern organization in which young people are important and considered as drivers of the future. Furthermore, already being 'inside' I have learned the company values in detail and know that they are well aligned to my own. They are: Learn Every Day, Embrace Different, Dare to Disrupt, Act Like Owners and Customer First," Justyna continues.
"One of my favourites is Learn Every Day. At Schneider Electric your professional growth is key. That’s why Schneider offers many ways of developing yourself through online courses (eLearning), conferences, panel discussions with SE leaders and much more. As an intern, I am literally learning every day and a company culture that supports this makes things a lot easier."
During her first two weeks, Justyna participated in an onboarding programme which is a curriculum of training with Schneider Electric experts about the company's values, internal regulations, HR applications, and its own working tools. Later on, Justyna had some individual trainings organized by her team to get a deeper understanding of the roles and responsibilities she would have during her internship.
"As an intern, I am learning a lot and very fast because everything is new to me. Obviously, I had to learn how to use some special apps and tools which we use on a daily basis, but also many other not so obvious things such as teamwork, collaboration, the HR business model and where we are placed within the huge structure of Schneider Electric," says Justyna.
"Schneider Electric’s employer branding motto is: 'Great people make Schneider Electric a Great Company'. I agree with that 100 per cent - everyone I work with is very helpful, open and supportive. My team is amazing, I can openly ask them anything and they share with me their stories on how they started their work in the company. I think the atmosphere in a team is essential: you need to feel well to do your job properly and I understand now why our Hub has been awarded for being a Vibrant Workplace."
Enjoying a varied job role
Justyna's team performs several HR administrative tasks for Spanish employees and is in constant contact with Schneider Electric's HR Business Partners in Spain. There are five people in the Spanish team, but in total, there are 10 people giving support to other countries and regions like Italy or the Middle East and Africa. Justyna's department has around 100 employees giving support across EMEA, and is diverse in terms of nationality and culture.
"Because Schneider embraces diversity, I am able to interact with people from different places around the globe, and of course improve my Spanish language skills thanks to daily discussions with my colleagues from Spain, Mexico, and Peru," adds Justyna.
"As a Human Resources intern, I started by doing simple things like: data management, onboarding and offboarding processes, management of local HR tools, providing Spanish employees with support and help whenever needed. But as time goes on, I am starting to perform other activities that involve more problem solving, analysis and soft skills."
Justyna is challenged to try out new things, especially when she needs to call someone and solve their issue by connecting them with further departments within the organization: "It might seem easy…right? But it means a great deal for me, because I consider myself a bit shy," she comments. "I feel now that, with all these activities, I am developing my skills and it helps me to build my own self-confidence."
"Every day we face a different challenge. And what do we do with these? We overcome them in the best way possible," Justyna continues. "Schneider inspires you to think bold and learn by failure. Working with people is not easy, but at the same time, it is very rewarding. When you hear 'thank you' you feel that your effort is being appreciated."
Being a Human Resources intern
"I remember the first day I came a little bit late to the office because my train broke down. It was a stressful experience, because when you come late on your first day, you may cause a bad impression. Luckily, everything was okay. My manager picked me up from the reception and we went to get my laptop and other work assets. We took a short tour around the office and I went through my first training. On that very same day, I got to know all other new joiners and we were discussing together our first impression of the company," says Justyna.
"Every intern at Schneider Electric is treated like everyone else in the organization, we have our own scope of activities, roles and responsibilities, as well as goals and development plans. Thanks to that I am the owner of my development plan and feel that my work is valued by others."
Justyna had to learn how to organize her work much better, how to prioritize tasks and how to collaborate with others in the open space (where she is encouraged to speak her mind openly and suggest solutions). "This shows how managers and colleagues trust interns to have a fresh perspective and insight. Interns here are not the ones that simply bring the coffee and make photocopies - they are the future," she comments.
Justyna also participates in workshops organized by Schneider Electric in Warsaw, as well as online trainings and conferences which allow her to develop herself in the HR field. For example, Schneider Electric hosted, in Justyna office, its HRS Europe Leaders. This was a great experience to hear what the plans for the future are, get inspired by their career stories within Schneider and insights on how they have reached their current positions.
"Summing up, my internship has been a great adventure and valuable experience so far. I am sure that in some way it will change my professional life because everything I do matters," Justyna concludes.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.