"I would really recommend it to all students!"
Manuela Jager, a recent graduate of the bachelor’s degree program in Business Informatics, participated in the IBM mentoring program at UAS Technikum Wien in the summer semester of 2011/12. In an interview this summer, she talked about why she was so happy with her decision, the experiences she gained in the program and what she learned from her mentor.
You participated in the IBM mentoring program at UAS Technikum Wien last semester. What led you to apply for the program?
Manuela Jager: I applied because I’m very interested in project management. The IBM mentoring program gave me the chance to meet people who work in that field and learn from them.
If you think back on your mentoring experience, how would you describe it?
Manuela Jager: I would seriously recommend a mentoring program like this to anyone. It offers opportunities to establish contacts and to develop your career further based on the suggestions and experiences of your mentor. At a company as large as IBM, you meet a lot of interesting people who have worked around the world, so you get to experience a very open corporate culture.
Usually participants in the IBM mentoring program have a female mentor, but you worked with a male mentor. How was it for you?
Manuela Jager: I was very lucky to have Gottfried Göbl as my mentor. He is a certified project manager at IBM and I was able to learn a lot from him. In fact, I am still learning from him. We have stayed in touch and try to meet up or talk on the phone regularly. He is very dedicated and is always available if I have questions.
What is the relationship between a mentor and mentee like?
Manuela Jager: As a mentee, you are of course a bit shy at first about contacting your mentor. But my mentor immediately dispelled any fears I had with his first e-mail, which was very open and relaxed. I would even say that our relationship has developed into one of friendship. In principle, mentoring is a win-win situation for both people. I get to learn a huge amount about project management and receive professional tips for my career. And through me, my mentor learns about the programs at UAS Technikum Wien and can find out what the students are capable of.
So you will stay in touch with your mentor in the future as well?
Manuela Jager: Yes, I can definitely imagine it being a long-lasting friendship. I have also met other people at IBM through him and I might apply there after I finish my master’s degree. Having personal contacts is definitely better than submitting an anonymous application.
What would you say was the most important thing you learned from the IBM mentoring program?
Manuela Jager: My mentor gave me a lot of valuable tips for my career and for my own personal development. He helped me to re-evaluate my personal interests and we worked together on refining my career plans. His personal career experiences were especially helpful and exciting for me!
You had very positive experiences with the IBM mentoring program. Who would you recommend the program to?
Manuela Jager: I would really recommend it to all students! You get the opportunity to meet interesting people and gain insight into daily working life. And you have the possibility to benefit from your mentor’s network. Which means that the program is right for anyone. Since IBM works in so many areas, the mentoring program should appeal to students from all degree programs! This kind of program provides full-time students in particular with the opportunity to receive a lot of career tips.
Speaking of tips: Do you have any for women who are interested in an IBM mentoring program?
Manuela Jager: Yes. IBM is very open and you don’t have to be shy about participating in a mentoring program like this. On the contrary: You can only benefit from it! You are taken seriously, respected and appreciated!
One final question: You finished your bachelor’s degree in Business Informatics at UAS Technikum Wien in June 2012. Will you also do your master’s degree at UAS Technikum Wien?
Manuela Jager: Yes, I will start the part-time master’s degree program in Business Informatics at UAS Technikum Wien in the fall. For me, Business Informatics offers the right balance of business and computer science. In particular, you receive the perfect qualifications for project management, which is the field I want to enter in the future. You gain a broad range of knowledge and learn how to use it correctly in various fields. As a business informatics specialist, you also serve as the intermediary between technicians and customers or users.
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Are you a female student and would like to participate in the IBM mentoring program? You will have the opportunity to do so again in the 2012/13 summer semester.
The UAS Technikum offers the "IBM-Mentoring-Program" in cooperation with IBM. The initiative is aimed at students of the bachelor's degree programs Computer Science, Business Informatics and Biomedical Engineering. The program lasts for one semester and will be held in summer semester 2012/13. Deadline for application is October, the hearing is conducted in early December. In February 2013, the names of the mentors will be announced.
For more information on the IBM mentoring program, please contact Mag. Marion Steinwandtner,
