Timo is here to make an impact
Timo, International Trainee
He brings an entrepreneurial mindset to his position as an International Trainee, and he’s focused on creating win-win relationships with DB Schenker’s innovation partners. Timo is the kind of person who wants to do work that matters. That’s what led him to explore a few different working styles before he joined DB Schenker. He’s spent time in corporate, consulting and start-up environments, and now he is an International Trainee in the Global Ventures and Innovation department while completing his master’s degree. “Logistics is the backbone of the economy, so I decided on this program and this industry because I want to generate impact,” he explains.
"I don’t want to have a job where I won’t be challenged daily – it’s how I develop myself."
Working in logistics turned out to be a natural fit for Timo because he thrives when presented with a problem to solve. He shares that the industry was far more complex than he’d originally imagined, but that this was a good thing. “I don’t want to have a job where I won’t be challenged daily – it’s how I develop myself,” he says. That’s also why his traineeship has been so appealing to him. He explains that he is energized by the opportunity to work in a new department every six months and get to grips with a fresh role.
When talking to DB Schenker’s qualities as an employer, Timo emphasizes the focus on professional growth. He describes how he has been given the space to develop himself and connected with the right people to make it happen. “Leaders here see you as a person who evolves over time, so they want you to take advantage of opportunities that help you to grow,” he says. For Timo, this meant he started his journey as a student working in the Global Talent Acquisition team and then switched positions to align with his studies. That job in innovation gave him the chance to network further with colleagues, leading to his introduction to the Global Trainee Program. From there he went to Singapore to work on even bigger projects. This truly international environment combined with leadership support is perfect for someone with plenty of ambitions for their career.
Timo’s aspirations for his future were set early on. Where other kids were dreaming of becoming astronauts or actors, he wanted to be a startup founder from a very young age. “I admired the people who created things from scratch that benefited society,” he recalls. Even though he’s working on the corporate side now, his current position gives him the chance to engage with startups. “Now I get to help them to scale up and create win-win solutions in the process,” he explains. He's clear that to support entrepreneurs, you need to have the right mindset, and that’s something he believes he brings to the team at DB Schenker.
Timo’s constant drive to develop himself has influenced his passions outside of work too. He is a successful digital content creator in his spare time and shares his outlook on life across a number of different channels. It started as a way for him to unwind and reflect on the day, and it still a way for him to stay grounded now, “You’re so often not present, and then you take things for granted – but by doing this I can appreciate where I am, and it makes me grateful,” he explains.
The practice has since gone way beyond just a hobby, however, and he interacts with followers from around the world. It has also helped him to grow a host of skills he uses every day in the business arena – including personal branding and communication. But what he enjoys most is what comes from the connections he makes – he’s able to help others to understand their own journeys better. And if there’s a common thread in everything he does, it’s this desire to make a real difference in the world.
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