Inside Nagel

From Bad Grönenbach to Ireland

CAREER WITH THE NAGEL-GROUP ABROAD: NICO BAUMANN IN IRELAND

„To be honest, I'm a little bit nervous,“ said Nico Baumann shortly before he set off on his internship abroad in Ireland. „But sometimes being brave for a moment is enough for something good to come out of it.“

Nico is 24 years old and is making a career at Nagel-Group. At the Bad Grönenbach site, he is training to become a forwarding and logistics services clerk. In consultation with his training manager Giuseppe Marzitelli, Nico took part in a special support program at the vocational school. For three weeks, he swapped the mountainous Allgäu region for the Irish coast and logistics for sales. „When we heard about it, we didn't hesitate for a second to support him in this project. International experience like this is important,“ emphasizes Marzitelli. In a furniture store in Dublin, which collaborates closely with Irish Aid for the Blind, Nico's main aim was to further improve his English and social skills.

If you expect little, you won't be disappointed. With this attitude, Nico wanted to take in the city and the people without prejudice. His new workplace, the NCBI furniture store, is located right in the center of Dublin. The store sells second-hand furniture and donates the proceeds to Irish Aid for the Blind. Nico started there every morning by sorting the donated furniture. In the afternoons, he spent more time talking to customers. From time to time, Nico also helped to carry the odd sofa and coffee table up to the third floor of an old Dublin apartment. This not only kept the former football player in shape, but also gave him the perfect opportunity to test his English skills in conversations with the locals.

Immerse yourself in Dublin's culture and lifestyle

The end of work was usually around 4 p.m. - so there was still enough time to immerse myself in city life. In Dublin, a lot of leisure time revolves around sport. On the sports fields and in the city's stadiums, people play or watch their own national sports such as Gaelic football or hurling with passion. With more than a dozen golf courses in the immediate vicinity, the capital of the Emerald Isle offers its residents plenty of greens for one of their favorite hobbies.

But pub culture is also part of the city. This is where people meet up with their friends or colleagues after work and round off the day. Quite stereotypical. A mentality that makes it easier to settle in. „People are very open here and seem genuinely interested in you as a person,“ observes Nico. Conversations at work, in the pub or at dinner with the host family quickly go beyond small talk. Sometimes classic dishes such as shepherd's pie, a casserole with minced meat and mashed potatoes, or Irish stew, a traditional stew, are on the table. Influences from various international cuisines are also a matter of course in a cosmopolitan and modern city like Dublin.

Nico will complete his apprenticeship this year: „I'm really happy that I gained this experience in Dublin. That's why I'm pleased that further projects abroad are already being planned.“