Graduate interview: Anna-Lena - Trainee teacher
07/25/2024After graduating, Anna Lena studied secondary school teaching at the University of Würzburg and gained a wide range of experience, including as a ski instructor in Switzerland, during a semester abroad in Japan and as a substitute teacher. Today, she is in the first half of her traineeship at a seminar school in Würzburg, where she takes on many roles from organiser to motivator. For student teachers, she recommends taking advantage of the shortage of teachers, gaining practical experience and exchanging ideas with different teacher personalities. Anna Lena also emphasises staying open to new opportunities and actively taking advantage of opportunities for further training.
What did you study at the University of Würzburg?
Teaching degree for grammar school with the subjects sport and English.
What is your current job?
I am currently in the first half of my traineeship at a secondary school in Würzburg.
Which company/employer do you work for?
Matthias-Grünewald-Gymnasium in Würzburg and the Bavarian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs
What are your tasks?
Animator, motivator, time keeper, advisor, technical expert, organiser, etc., along with all the bureaucratic tasks that come with it.
How did you orientate yourself professionally during and after your studies?
I was already very open-minded during my studies and always took on new challenges. Whether as a traditional waitress or as a research assistant, it was always important to me to gain new experiences.
Did you make use of certain university services for career orientation (e.g. Career Centre, alumni office, mentoring programme, guest lectures, etc.)?
The Career Centre and its services were an important part of my professional orientation, but my experiences abroad also influenced my career choice.
How did you find out about the position you applied for? Is there a particular portal that you could recommend to students in the future?
In my case, there was no application, at least not in the traditional sense. The teaching degree programme is very pioneering in this respect.
What was your application process like and what was the timeline from the first contact to acceptance?
I applied for the traineeship via the Ministry of Culture two years after passing my state examination. After submitting all my documents, I was offered a place as a trainee teacher at a seminary school.
Of course, things were very different for job interviews, for example for part-time jobs. After an application by email, for example, there was usually an interview on site. Either you were accepted there directly or by phone/email.
Did you start your apprenticeship immediately after finishing your studies?
I worked as a ski instructor in Switzerland for a short time after completing the exams for the 1st state examination and then went to Japan for a semester abroad while I was waiting for my results. After receiving my certificate, I still went back to Switzerland for another six months and then worked as a substitute teacher at a grammar school in Germany for another six months. I've been doing my traineeship since February 2024.
Were there any questions in the interview that you didn't expect? If so, which ones?
Why do you want the job? What strengths or weaknesses do you have? Why did you apply for this company? What are your salary expectations? Do you already have personal experience of the job?
What were your reasons for doing/not doing the apprenticeship?
After my studies, I needed some distance from everyday university life in Germany, so I quickly started travelling and also went to Switzerland. At that time, after corona, it was also nice to get out again and travel to other countries. However, the thought of becoming a teacher never left me and, as life sometimes goes, I was called by my old school while I was still in Switzerland to see if I could help out as they were urgently short of a PE teacher. In this way, I was able to try out the job as a substitute teacher and face the whole "teacher thing" again. During this time, I also realised through my colleagues and my experiences that I wanted to give it a chance and complete my 2nd state examination. I'm still at the very beginning now, but I can say that I'm enjoying being a trainee teacher so far, but I'm also keen to try out other options after my traineeship.
What skills from your studies are helpful or essential for your current job?
Well, I studied to become a teacher, which is of course geared towards a career as a teacher. However, theory is of little use in the working world at first. Training your own personality, e.g. through workshops, is all the more useful.
How did you acquire additional skills (e.g. workshops and seminars, internships, part-time jobs, clubs, voluntary work, traineeships, further training, etc.)?
Many internships and part-time jobs to familiarise myself with the professional world, but also workshops and seminars to develop my skills. In addition, always keep an open mind and take advantage of opportunities for further education, e.g. in an association or through voluntary work.
What advice can you give students for successful preparation for future job interviews?
Find out about the company and the requirements of the position beforehand and think about your own wishes, goals, strengths and weaknesses. In addition, go through a job interview and get feedback from friends/family. You can think about the interview beforehand: How would I like to present myself...
Do you have any general tips for professional orientation and career planning?
Learning by doing! - Theory is good and important, but the more work experience you gain, the more you learn about professional life. Also, be curious and learn from others ("See and learn") and have the confidence to ask questions.
What advice would you give to students who want to work in your industry or profession?
I think the best thing I could do was to face the everyday life of a teacher and get an idea of the situation in schools for myself. Internships during your studies are all well and good, but they are no substitute for the experience you gain when you take responsibility for a class or several lessons. As there is a shortage of teachers at the moment, I would take advantage of this and look for a small part-time job at a school, or try to find out more about everyday life as a teacher by organising activities for pupils. I would also go on a lot of exchanges and talk to as many different teachers as possible in order to learn more about working as a teacher. To summarise, I would gain a lot of practical experience and try to work at a school beforehand. Ask lots of questions in the internships and learn from good teachers. Remain open to other opinions and think about where you can improve.
