From the sun of southern France into the northern German summer: an internship at ECOMAT
Interested in technology from an early age: Éva Perrier, Image: ECOMAT/Raveling
Internships are often the first point of contact with the world of work for students. At ECOMAT, Airbus, among others, gives students an insight into the aviation industry - Éva Perrier took the opportunity in summer 2024. And learned a lot of new things, including about herself.
The Frenchwoman is studying materials engineering at Polytech Montpellier, specializing in mechanics. At the end of her fourth year, she was due to spend time abroad and do an internship - the budding engineer opted for Airbus and ended up at ECOMAT. In this interview, the 21-year-old describes what she experienced here:
Ms. Perrier, what made you decide to move from sunny southern France to changeable northern Germany?
There was already a contact between Polytech and Airbus in Bremen, there is a directory of possible cooperation locations and partners, which I browsed through and found Bremen. I applied to my current internship manager Hubertus Lohner here in Bremen with a CV and a letter of motivation. Of course, I was delighted when he invited me to a video interview. Which was subsequently successful. I sent an email to my supervisor in October, saying that I was looking for an internship. He replied on November with the proposition of an online interview, to know exactly what I was looking for. After that he created an internship offer on the website and I started my internship at the beginning of May. I was able to come in April 2024.
It was quite difficult at first to find a place to stay for just four months from afar, so I started with a Airbnb. But when I arrived here, I was very pleasantly surprised by Bremen. The people are very nice, open and polite, and I quickly felt integrated here. And the summer is also quite pleasant, it's not 40 degrees Celsius here (laughs.)
How was your start at ECOMAT?
At the beginning, I was given a tour of the building, which was very overwhelming, because ECOMAT is huge, I was impressed by quality of the equipment, the space in the offices, and the size of the floors. But you quickly get used to it. I work in an open workspace at Airbus. There are lots of different Airbus employees there, but also sometimes some from ArianeGroup - it's a great environment where you quickly get to know lots of people.
It was particularly easy as a Frenchwoman because there are many French-speaking employees at Airbus and ArianeGroup in Bremen. Of course, I was able to get in touch with them quickly because they are also well networked with each other. So I quickly made friends at ECOMAT.
What are your tasks at ECOMAT?
I support the Airbus Fire Safety Center, which is being built right next to ECOMAT. In future, investigations into the fire safety of materials will be carried out there, especially for hydrogen applications. My internship supervisor Hubertus Lohner is also the head of the FSC. I help him with project management and organization and attend a lot of meetings.
My second task is to design posters of the technical devices in the Airbus ECOMAT laboratories, for example to make it easier for visitors to understand how they work during guided tours.
Perrier enjoys her time at ECOMAT and gains a lot of experience, Image: ECOMAT/Raveling
Did you already have experience in project management?
I had a few courses on project management - but experiencing it in real working life and putting my knowledge into practice was new to me - and really exciting!
Could you imagine continuing to do this?
Previously, I had considered working directly on the topics as an engineer in design, production or research & development. Here at ECOMAT, however, I have learned how important project management is for large projects to succeed. You have to talk to people a lot and listen to them well - and that's something that suits me. At the same time, you also need a lot of technical expertise, even if you're not designing something on the computer yourself. So this aspect is not lost. I could well imagine working in project management myself later on.
What do you take away from your time in Bremen?
The experience of seeing a large team working together efficiently was very instructive for me. During my studies, I often work on my own or only in small projects with others. Here at ECOMAT, I have learned how important good team communication is and how it works in general. And the value of sharing resources with others to build knowledge together.
It was also exciting to discover something new about myself. How you manage to find your way in a completely new environment where you don't know anyone. And finding new friends and connections there, I think that's an important skill.
Would you like to stay in the aviation industry?
The aviation industry is changing and working on a sustainable future here in Bremen is of course really motivating. But I would also like to get to know other industries such as automotive or nuclear energy, always with a focus on materials mechanics.
Where does your interest in this come from?
I find metals very exciting, their properties and applications, especially in the field of mechanical devices such as engines, whether in cars or in airplanes as turbines. As a child, I was fascinated by airplanes and rockets. My father was a huge Formula 1 fan and I used to watch the races. The speed, the noise, it was fascinating and so it was clear: I want to do that too!
Both independent work and team tasks are part of their daily routine, Image: ECOMAT/Raveling
Unfortunately, it is still a reality today that women are underrepresented in engineering. How do you perceive this in your generation?
I have had many good experiences, but also a few bad ones. In our studies, we women try to stick together and strengthen each other. Occasionally we receive negative comments from male students, which is of course not a nice trait.
Do these comments have a demotivating effect?
On the contrary, it motivates me all the more! I always think back to 50 years ago, when it was virtually impossible to study and work in this field as a woman. A lot has changed and I'm glad to be part of a change. At Polytech, the gender ratio is 50:50, we are very proud of that, and there are also a lot of efforts to support women.
I've always felt very welcome here at ECOMAT, the working atmosphere is great and the people are helpful. That's not an issue at all.
Do you share this positive impression of Bremen as a city?
Yes, Bremen is great! I didn't know anyone at the beginning, which was very hard. But I quickly made friends, whether with other compatriots, students or other Bremen residents. I also looked for groups of French people in Bremen on Facebook beforehand. This has resulted in firm friendships. Now I meet up with someone almost every day and we enjoy our time together.
Do you have a favorite place in Bremen?
The Werdersee and the Schlachte promenade. When the weather is good, you can enjoy the sun and the water. Sitting together with friends in the evening, drinking a beer, that's fantastic.
Do you miss anything?
My family, friends and especially my cat (laughs). And then of course the food. And there is a language barrier. As I don't speak German I was able to find my way around in English, but sometimes I still get stuck, for example in the supermarket. You also feel differently arrived in a place when you do speak the language.
One final question: What would motivate you to move to Bremen and work here in the future?
The mentality. The people of Bremen are respectful, everyone is so open, friendly and polite. You can feel that in the city and it also makes for a pleasant working atmosphere. The infrastructure is also better here, especially at ECOMAT. Everything is designed so that you can work well. I also felt very safe in Bremen.
Thanks for the Interview!
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