How was your overall experience?_My overall experience during my internship was very positive and valuable. I enjoyed being part of a professional working environment and gaining insight into how software development is applied within the printing industry. I particularly enjoyed being able to contribute to real projects, take on different responsibilities, and collaborate with experienced colleagues throughout the internship.

What were your tasks?_My tasks were quite varied and included software testing, technical documentation, working with Excel-based configurations and calculation systems, all the while supporting the furtherdevelopment of SKYCO’s Web-to-Media solutions. Throughout the internship, I worked across different customer projects and portals, participated in customer meetings, contributed my own feedback and ideas for new and existing features, and also had the opportunity to explore other areas, such as 3D work with Blender.

What was the biggest challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?_ The biggest challenge was understanding the complexity of an existing software system and how its different components interacted. In the beginning, many of the configurations, technical terms, and workflows were completely new to me, which sometimes made me doubt whether I had enough technical knowledge to handle the tasks independently. Over time, I learned to trust my own abilities more and became more comfortable asking questions when I needed clarification. By testing things independently, using existing documentation and examples, and learning through practical experience, I gradually became much more confident in both my technical skills and my ability to adapt to unfamiliar challenges.

What skills or experiences did you gain that have helped you since?_I developed stronger technical documentation, software testing, problem-solving, and analytical skills. I also became much more confident working with Excel in a technical context and gained a better understanding of software development workflows, configuration-based systems, and Web-to-media technology. Working independently while regularly communicating with a development team also improved my professional communication and organization skills.

What surprised you most about the internship?_What surprised me most was how quickly I was able to adapt to a full-time working environment and how much responsibility I was given throughout the internship. I was also surprised to see that my own ideas and suggestions were valued and could genuinely contribute to the projects I was working on. At the beginning, I expected it to take some time to adjust to an everyday 9-to-5 routine, but I adapted much faster than I expected. This gave me more confidence in my abilities and showed me that I could take initiative and contribute meaningfully in a professional environment.

How was your overall experience?_My overall experience was incredibly rewarding and gave me a great insight into the consulting industry. I split my internship between Canon Germany and Skyco, a Canon partner specializing in Web-to-Media solutions, which allowed me to experience two different working environments. At both companies, I was trusted with meaningful tasks and real responsibility from the beginning. The internship constantly challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, making it an exciting experience that helped me grow both professionally and personally.

What were your tasks?_My tasks were very diverse and varied depending on the projects I was involved in. At Canon Germany, I supported customer projects, learned how to operate different Canon production printing machines, travelled to customers across Germany, and even led my own project. I also had the opportunity to present a case study at the Future Book Forum. During my time at Skyco, I worked closely with Canon Switzerland as they introduced Skyco’s Web-to-Media software into their portfolio. I planned and conducted software training sessions for Canon Switzerland employees directly in Zurich.

What was the biggest challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?_The biggest challenge was stepping into the role of a consultant and confidently presenting myself in front of customers and experienced professionals. An even bigger challenge was delivering software training sessions to Canon Switzerland employees in Zurich, many of whom had significantly more professional experience than I did. Preparing thoroughly and trusting my knowledge helped me overcome my initial doubts and become much more confident.

What skills or experiences did you gain that have helped you since?_The internship helped me grow tremendously, both technically and personally. Besides learning how to operate different Canon production printing machines and gaining valuable consulting experience, I developed a much stronger belief in my own abilities. Leading projects, presenting in front of large audiences, and teaching experienced professionals gave me confidence I never expected to gain during an internship. Especially conducting training sessions at Canon Switzerland showed me that expertise is not defined by age but by preparation and knowledge, and that realization has stayed with me ever since.

What surprised you most about the internship?_What surprised me the most was how diverse the day-to-day work of a consultant actually is. Every project brought new challenges, different customers, and unique opportunities to learn. I also expected travelling almost every week to be exhausting, but I actually enjoyed it and appreciated the variety it brought to my work. Looking back, I was also surprised by the amount of responsibility I was given. I never imagined that, as an intern, I would lead projects, present at industry events, or train employees from another Canon organization abroad.

How was your overall experience?_Very good. Six months is long enough that you stop being an outsider and actually start seeing how a company works day-to-day from the inside, which departments talk to each other, and how they communicate to get to the same goal. The people were welcoming, the work was real work, and the food in Bergamo was excellent. I'd definitely do it again.

What were your tasks?_I was project manager for an internal project to bring the company's resources and applications together into one central access point. With the team I looked at where the existing implementation fell short, reworked functions and defined new ones. My main task was writing and maintaining the plan: what we wanted to achieve, in what order, and who was doing it. The first changes went live towards the end of my six months.

What was the biggest challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?_My biggest challenge came right at the start. Nothing was handed to me to work off of. There was an idea and a few working parts, but no plan and no structure. Building that plan was my job, which was new to me. I got there by focusing on the big picture first and putting the framework in place before going into the details.

What skills or experiences did you gain that have helped you since?_After the internship, I trust my own judgement more, and I gained real practical experience in project management. What I didn't expect was how much of the job is communication: getting people from different teams aligned when they all have their own priorities, and catching a misunderstanding before it turns into a week of rework. That still helps me today in my working student job. Speaking Italian every day was good practice too.

What surprised you most about the internship?_How much responsibility and trust I was given. I expected to shadow people and take on small pieces of real work. Instead, I was managing a project the company will keep using, and my decisions shaped what it became.

How was your overall experience?_Having the opportunity to spend six months across three different parts of the Canon Group was an incredible experience. It gave me valuable insights into different departments and countries while allowing me to work with diverse teams, attend inspiring events, and connect with many talented people. It was the perfect combination of learning, exploration, and personal growth.

What were your tasks?_My tasks varied across projects and organizations. At Canon Germany, I supported customer projects, learned to operate production printing machines, visited customers across Germany, led my own project, and presented a case study at the Future Book Forum. At CPP, I worked on research projects and contributed to analysis and development tasks. In Spain, I introduced a workflow I had learned in Germany and supported customer visits, gaining further international experience.

What was the biggest challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?_Starting in three different teams and taking on new tasks at each location was challenging. Organizing three internships across different locations also required careful planning. Staying structured, focusing on one task at a time, and keeping in mind that the experience would be unique and rewarding helped me stay motivated throughout.

What skills or experiences did you gain that have helped you since?_I learned that I can overcome insecurities and knowledge gaps quickly by staying eager to learn and embracing new challenges. Remaining flexible when unexpected problems arise is equally important. I also realized that being open to new people helps build strong team spirit, enabling teams to collaborate effectively and achieve shared goals.

What surprised you most about the internship?_The diversity of consulting work surprised me most, with every project bringing new challenges and learning opportunities. I also enjoyed the frequent travel more than expected. Equally memorable was Canon’s welcoming culture: every team made me feel included from day one while trusting me with significant responsibility.

My name is Raoul, I’m 24 years old, and I’m from Romania. In 2023, I completed my internship at Schreiner Group in the Product and Process Development department. The internship was on-site, which gave me the opportunity to adapt to a German working environment and significantly improve both my language and social skills.

During my time there, I gained valuable experience in planning printing processes, testing product quality, and addressing issues efficiently as they arose. My university lectures, especially in material science, flexographic, and digital printing, played a crucial role in helping me meet expectations and contribute meaningfully. The fact that I had prior knowledge of flexographic and digital printing made it much easier to participate in discussions and share ideas. It felt incredibly rewarding to be able to apply this knowledge directly in practice, especially since these were the printing methods I worked with most often.

In addition, my experience with writing reports during my university assignments proved invaluable. I was able to structure my reports at Schreiner Group exactly as I had learned to do in my coursework, making the process more efficient and thorough. I also performed and analyzed various Finat Test Methods, gaining deeper insights into selecting the right materials for specific applications.

Overall, it was an enriching experience where I not only applied my academic knowledge but also learned a lot about working in the printing industry. I had the opportunity to meet many amazing people who taught me a lot, and I would love for my future job to resemble the experience I had at Schreiner Group.

How was your overall experience?_My internship at Fraunhofer IPA was a highly rewarding experience that introduced me to research and development in inkjet technology. I gained practical insight into professional research projects, applied theoretical Knowledge to real challenges, and enjoyed working independently with valuable guidance from experienced colleagues. The experience significantly contributed to my professional and personal development.

What were your tasks?_During my internship, I conducted material characterisation experiments. including rheological measurements and compatibility tests. I worked with and modified experimental setups, evaluated device performance, documented and presented results, contributed to project planning, and carried out literature research to support experiments and deepen my understanding of inkjet systems.

What was the biggest challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?_My biggest challenge was documenting experiments clearly while keeping essential details. Initially. I struggled to balance conciseness and completeness. but through practice and feedback from colleagues, I improved my technical documentation and scientific communication. I learned to organise information more systematically and present results more effectively, significantly strengthening these skills.

What skills or experiences did you gain that have helped you since?_I improved my technical communication, presentation, and result interpretation skills. Working independently strengthened my problem-solving abilities and confidence in decision-making. I also applied theoretical knowledge from my studies at HdM to real research and development tasks, gaining a deeper understanding of how academic learning translates into professional practice.

What surprised you most about the internship?_What surprised me most was that my ideas and interpretations could meaningfully contribute to the project, rather than only following instructions. I was encouraged to analyse results independently and suggest next steps. Seeing my input influence discussions increased my confidence and highlighted the importance of independent thinking in research.

Hello there! My name is Joyce, and I’m from the Philippines. I’d love to share one of the most exciting parts of my journey as a PMT student, my internship experience. I completed my internship in February 2025 at CCL Design Stuttgart, an international company specializing in the production of labels, with a strong presence in the automotive and electronics industries.

I consider myself a fairly flexible and adaptable person, so choosing where to complete my internship wasn’t a difficult decision. I was first introduced to CCL back in 2023 when I applied as a working student in their Technikum Department, which focuses on research and development for CCL’s products. The company left a strong impression on me, and I knew I wanted to continue growing with them.

During my six-month internship, I was given ample opportunities not just to develop technical skills, but also to collaborate closely with different teams. Our supervisor trusted us with real projects, encouraging us to take ownership, work independently, and build confidence in presenting our ideas. I had the chance to work on team projects, communicate with colleagues across CCL’s international departments, and contribute to ongoing research and innovation initiatives.

Naturally, there were moments when I wasn’t sure how to approach a task, especially with so many new things to learn. But the team was always supportive and ready to offer guidance, which made the whole experience even more enriching and rewarding.

My tip? Stay flexible, stay adaptable, and always keep a positive mindset! These simple things will really help you make the most out of every opportunity that comes your way.

Hi! I’m Maisam from Afghanistan, currently studying Print Media and Packaging Technologies at Hochschule der Medien. Last semester, during my mandatory internship, I had the opportunity to intern at Robert Bosch GmbH within the Bosch Digital Backbone program, the company’s largest digital transformation initiative. As the world’s largest automotive supplier, Bosch employs over 400,000 people worldwide, and this program directly impacts the daily operations of a large number of employees in all of Bosch’s business divisions worldwide.

As part of the Organizational Change Management team, I gained valuable experience in project management tools, strategic planning, effective communication, documentation, and large-scale organizational change efforts. This experience perfectly aligned with my passion for leadership and structured collaboration. I especially appreciated the agile, international, and team-oriented work environment, and I’m grateful for the continuous feedback and support from my managers, which helped me grow both professionally and personally. 

Overall, this internship was an invaluable learning experience, and I’m looking forward to applying the knowledge I’ve gained in my future career as an Engineer in Print Media and Packaging Technologies.

My name is Nubia Mattos, I am Brazilian and graduated in biology in Brazil. When I applied to the company, there was no vacancy available. I went to the website of the company I wanted to work with and applied. This is what is called in German as “Initiativbewerbung”.

There were four levels before I received the internship offer. The first level was the application, where I wrote a letter of motivation and sent it along with my resume. At the second level, I had to pass an IQ and personality test. At the third level was the interview with HR. In the fourth and last level, I was invited for a series of face-to-face interviews. 

I found myself professionally during my internship. The work was very demanding, I needed to read and study a lot to be always updated, I was sent to several trade fairs, to learn more about the news in the market of materials and products, I learned how to use different software, but these were also the reasons why I found my internship so amazing. Even though I was an intern, the company invested in me to learn more about the content I was working on.

In the internship I could put in practice what I learned in my biology study in Brazil with what I’m studying at PMT. But before working for P&G I had a very theoretical knowledge about the subject, in the company I could learn that things are not so black and white, there are several factors that need to be considered so that your idea works in a practical way for the company.

People always treated me as an equal. Even though I was a trainee, I had meetings and presented to top management in the company. My opinion was valued, and the company invested in my knowledge. Whenever I said that I wanted to learn how to use a software, or learn how to use a tool, the company always supported my decision.

My internship was a combination of what I learnt from my studies in Biology and what I am studying now at PMT. I learned a lot about sustainability, organic and inorganic chemistry, scientific procedures in Biology. In PMT, understanding about the different types of printing (after all packaging has some type of printing in them), about different types of materials, packaging production, ways of testing materials (a great contribution of the Metrology course) are the areas that I would highlight in the course and that the knowledge helped me during the internship.