My amazing journey through the world of procurement at Bayer AG

My name is Regina Stadler and I am a trainee in the International Program for Procurement Management at Bayer AG. My journey with Bayer has been full of excitement from the very beginning: My assignments took me through different areas of procurement and even to different countries. Currently I am writing to you from faraway Singapore. But first things first!

What to do and where to go?

After graduating from high school, I decided to gain practical experience by doing a vocational training at a bank. As business there was more locally oriented, I realized for the first time that I really wanted to work in an international environment. Additionally, I wanted to learn more about business administration. I therefore chose to enroll in a Bachelor of Arts program in International Business Studies. Over the next few years, I spent time studying abroad and doing internships in multinational companies. Because I increasingly was aiming for a management position in my future career, I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in management. As my studies continued, I became fascinated with new developments, market trends and business model innovation. Consequently, my employer of choice had to be not only global, but also highly innovative.

Getting a ticket for a great journey

At the 2014 Graduate Congress in Cologne, I came into contact with Bayer for the first time. I learned about the International Program for Procurement Management and realized that Bayer was the perfect fit for me. From then on, things went very fast. I applied, had a telephone interview, was invited to an assessment center and finally got the job!

Ready, set, go!

In August 2015, I joined Bayer as one of three trainees for Procurement Management. Most of my assignments so far have lasted about three to four months. I have an opportunity to really delve deeply into various topics in procurement, coordinate individual projects and also support my colleagues in their daily activities. In the beginning, I mainly was located at Crop Science headquarters in Monheim, Germany. Later, however, I also worked at Crop Science’s biggest plant, where I joined the purchasing team. When I was about halfway through the program, it was time for the assignment every trainee most looks forward to: Going abroad! For me, it meant leaving rainy, cold Germany and moving to sunny, warm Singapore, where I joined the Crop Science regional office for Asia Pacific. After this assignment, I will be returning to Germany, leaving the Crop Science division behind, and joining Corporate Procurement in Leverkusen, where I will be working across all the divisions.

So far, the journey through this program has been truly amazing! I have been able to gain insight into professional procurement practices and to work in a multicultural and diverse environment characterized by respect, empowerment and support for personal aspirations. Besides living and working abroad, one of my greatest experiences has been participating in an “innovation sprint,” where I was able to contribute my desire to question the status quo and to create new innovative solutions.

So did I get you excited about the program? This is your chance to join an incredible journey! Go and apply now to the 2018 International Program for Procurement Management.