Career

Audi employees in the world – bringing together hobbies and professional development

2024. 06. 19.

Alexandra Nemes first met Audi Hungaria in 2014, during a factory visit organized for students, where the modern production lines, the monumentality of the factory and the professionalism of the engineers instantly convinced her to start her engineering career with us.

As one of her main hobbies is travelling and learning about foreign cultures, and it is also very important for her to improve her language skills, it was only natural that she accepted the opportunity to work in Germany.

In this article you can read about her experiences in Ingolstadt so far.

Tell us about your role at Audi Hungaria to date.

Alexandra Nemes: In 2016, I joined the company as a full-time project engineer, and my first task was to support the type integration of the R3 and R4 Evo engine blocks, during which period I learned a lot from my experienced colleagues. From 2018, I was involved in the design of the EA211 APS (Atmospheric Plasma Spraying) ZKG production line, and then in the launch and series support of the line until September 2022. On the production line, my primary responsibilities included ensuring the stability of the coating process and coordinating lab activities to ensure coating quality. During my years in production, the production line has managed to steadily reach its maximum daily capacity, which was previously thought to be an almost impossible task by me and my colleagues. This achievement can be considered a real success.

After years in production, I felt the need to take on new challenges, so in October 2022 I joined the dynamic team of Powertrain Applications. I coordinate a small team of engineers here, with whom we carry out sub-tasks not only in Győr, but in all the internal combustion engine software development projects across the Group. I am proud that with my involvement we have already been able to take over several tasks from the development team in Ingolstadt.

When did the possibility of a mission abroad arise and why did you decide to do it, what attracted you to this task?

A. Nemes: In 2022, I applied for a position in the Powertrain Applications team, which was being set up at the time. In order to enable the new area to take over tasks from colleagues in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm as efficiently as possible, I had the opportunity to go on an assignment to Germany as part of a training program.

As one of my hobbies is travelling and learning about foreign cultures, I was very motivated to accept this opportunity because the assignment would give me the chance to experience what it is like to perform my daily tasks in a slightly different company culture and also to improve my German language skills.

Where do you currently work and what are your daily tasks?

A. Nemes: I currently work in Ingolstadt and I focus on Powertrain Applications, which is a very diverse field, so my daily tasks are rather varied. I am actively working to take over work packages that will be the responsibility of Győr from the second half of 2024, and I am also responsible for the professional coordination of the work packages already taken over.

What is your relationship like with your colleagues there?

A. Nemes: I knew most of my colleagues from online meetings before I started my assignment, so they were very welcoming from the very first days and helped me immediately with everything, whether it was about work, moving or settling in. I received lots of recommendations on what to see in the area. It is interesting to note that for them, the term “in the area” can mean up to 200 km, while in Hungary we only mean 10–20 km.

What do you see as the main differences between the German and Hungarian workplace culture?

A. Nemes: Of course, home office has also transformed office culture in Germany, with some people spending only 1 day a week in the office. Fortunately, in the team where I work, many people prefer to work in the office, so we have lunch together every day and discuss the previous day’s events.

The main difference for me is that people are more reserved. I consider myself quite open-minded and people-oriented, so in the first few months I was a bit unsure how I would fit in. I managed to get through that and since then I have had private conversations with colleagues I thought I would never have a more direct relationship with.

Who did you travel to Germany with and how do you spend your free time?

A. Nemes: I travelled with my fiancé, who is also on an assignment. We are grateful to our helpful managers for “synchronizing” our assignments.

In our free time we go hiking and explore the area. In the autumn, of course, we don’t miss the beer festivals, and during the Christmas period we visit different Advent markets several times a week. I’m a big fan of history, so we’ve been visiting the castles and famous places in the area recently. In June we are planning a longer hike to Castle Eltz and its surroundings, and in August we plan to drive up to the North Sea. Unfortunately, the size of the country makes it impossible to see everything we want in such a short time.

What do you miss most about being here and how often do you visit home?

A. Nemes: I miss my family and friends the most.

We are planning our wedding, so we travel home every month and visit the family, and we are usually more tired than after a week of hard work.

What do you think are the personal/professional qualities that are essential for someone to succeed in a foreign assignment?

A. Nemes: Being open and adaptable is essential, as you not only have to adapt to a new work environment, but also build a whole new life at the same time. We have to find our new favorite places, whether it’s the gym we go to every week or a café that serves our favorite coffee.

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