Here’s what she had to say about how it happened:

When did you realise that a Business Administration degree was not for you?

Honestly, in the first semester. While I found the topics interesting, it was far too theoretical for me. I had worked for a year immediately after finishing school, and I really missed the practical connection in my studies.

Why did you decide to start a degree after finishing high school?

To be honest, I wasn’t sure for a long time what I wanted to do after school. That’s why I worked for a year. But at some point, I felt: Now that I have my A-levels, I should go to university.

If you already felt uncomfortable during the first semester, when did you reach your breaking point?

In the third semester. It just wasn’t working anymore, and I’d lost all motivation. That’s when I remembered how much I enjoyed working. I applied to several companies, including Rohde & Schwarz, because I’d worked there before, among other things as a working student. Things moved quickly after that—I had an interview, and from that point, everything went really well.

Was the fact that you had dropped out of university a big issue during the job interview?

Of course, they asked me about it. But we didn’t dwell on the subject for long.

And were you happier during the vocational training programme?

Definitely. I was just so much more motivated than I ever was at university. And because I had already learned quite a bit about Business Administration in my studies, I found many aspects of both the practical and theoretical training quite easy. Throughout the programme, I often realised: Ah, that’s what this is for, that’s where you need what you learned at university.

Many people choose to go to university because they believe they’ll earn more as academics one day...

No, that wasn’t my motivation. For me, it was primarily about finding something I enjoy doing.

This interview was first published in the IHK vocational training magazine "Position" Issue III/2021. For subscription details, please visit www.ihk-position.de/magazin.