We don’t make lifts, seriously no lifts!

This audio was created using Microsoft Azure Speech Services

There are many ways to speak about an internship opportunity. The classic way would probably start with something along the lines of “it was the opportunity of a lifetime”. Perhaps another way is to express the disappointment of it being virtual but coming to the realization at the end that a lot was learnt.

But instead, I decided to write a raw and unfiltered blog about my experience with Schneider Electric’s virtual internship program and tell you all about the three main reasons that made me fall in love with Marketing at Schneider Electric!

We don’t make lifts, seriously NO lifts!

It all started when I was looking for an internship to graduate from university. At first, when I came across the posting, I was aware of Schneider’s history and brand weight, but I didn’t truly understand what they did. Like many, I thought they made elevators. Please excuse my ignorance. I started watching some videos to get myself more familiar with the company when I came across this campaign explaining what Schneider is for “dummies”, like me. The line that stuck with me was, “we don’t make lifts, seriously NO lifts! “. I enjoyed the humor and the way the brand connected with its audience on a level anyone can understand – from all ages, social backgrounds, cultures, and countries. I thought it was a brilliant campaign. That was my first reason for falling in love with Marketing at Schneider Electric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dux6kG13QWM

My virtual internship program

When the Virtual Internship started, I was introduced to my colleagues taking part in the program, and although I never met most of them face to face, we were all connected by this experience which brought us closer together.

We were having regular fun calls to break the ice. I began working on a fantastic project to bring a new product to the Gulf cluster. I had regular touchpoints with the VP of Global Marketing in the Middle East & Africa, who acted as an advisor and coach to improve my approach to problem-solving. I learnt a lot in the process, and it was truly a beautiful challenge.

Little did I know this was just the beginning. My story goes on when one of my colleagues had an emergency and had to go on leave for a couple of months. I was both excited and challenged by the opportunity ahead. I had to be onboarded in a week and get up to speed to ensure a smooth transition with no disruptions. I doubted whether I was capable of taking on this challenge. Thankfully, with my ability to quickly adapt and the supportive team and management, I was able to cover for my colleague and excel at it.

Nothing goes unrecognized at Schneider Electric

Nothing goes unrecognized at Schneider Electric! I was then awarded “The Most Valuable Intern” and was celebrated by my team members and amazing manager. This experience gave me a boost of confidence that any fresh graduate needs at the beginning of their careers. Recognition is important, and that is the 2^nd reason that made me fall in love with Marketing at Schneider Electric.

This experience gave me a boost of confidence that any fresh graduate needs at the beginning of their careers.

Fast forward 9 months later, I finally got offered a full-time position. Here I am, the website owner, the Search Engine Optimization champion and in charge of the webinar process for the Gulf cluster and other special projects along the way. I also got the opportunity to meet the Senior Vice President of Global Marketing, Eric Leger, which I am eternally grateful for because we had many interesting conversations about growth mindset.

I feel like I achieved a lot in a very short period of time, and that was only possible because Schneider Electric made sure of that, even though it is a multinational company with over 125,000 employees, I felt appreciated, valued, and recognized as an individual.

In my opinion, Schneider is a great organization and the team puts people at the center of everything they do, and that’s why I love it here.

By the time this is published, I would’ve completed a full year at Schneider Electric. If I could achieve all that in just 1 year, a year where the pandemic hit, and we were in quarantine for the majority of it, I can’t wait to see what’s next.

If you kept count, you probably realized that there is one more reason that is missing. Well, it is something very small, but it meant a lot to me. When I joined the team, it was mainly virtual so creating personal connections was not the easiest. Last week I went for a quick lunch break with some of my colleagues and I loved them. Even if it may sound silly, those were the 3 main reasons that made me fall f0r Schneider Electric because I truly understood the meaning of #SEGreatPeople.

Come join #SEGreatPeople in a great company: https://www.se.com/ae/en/about-us/careers/overview.jsp

About the Author

Abdelrahman graduated from the American University of Sharjah in the summer of 2020, majoring in Finance. He joined Schneider Electric as part of the Virtual Internship Program back in May 2020, which lasted 3 months. 6 months later he was hired as a full time employee in the role of Digital Marketing Specialist. “I have always been in love with sports, specially Football and Volleyball, so to keep a clear mind after working hours you will probably find me playing either one of those sports”