Achim Klein-Hitpass came to Aarhus University to pursue an MSc in Electrical Engineering. During his time studying here, it became clear to him that Denmark is where he would like to stay and work. Which is exactly what he is doing today, in his second full-time job in Denmark!
I moved to Denmark to study and during my time here, it became clear that I want to stay here, especially in Aarhus, for longer. So I applied to Vestas, which is one of Denmark’s biggest companies. I got a job here as a Supply Quality Engineer, which is a role I was familiar with from my prior experience in Germany. So I do think that despite being an international, if you have the relevant skills and experience, it is possible to find work in Denmark. In my team of 12, it has been just three Danes. Everyone else is an international.
In my new role, I will work as an Internal Auditor at Systematic, focusing on cybersecurity. I found both these jobs through LinkedIn – so I guess this platform really works if you are an international!
It’s interesting because you can actually manage with English since many do speak that here. There is also flexibility. I do not have children at the moment but I have seen my colleagues who are parents work from home or have the space to be able to pick their children up from school if needed. The flat hierarchy also makes it easy to get to know your colleagues and managers. There are opportunities to have lunch with the CEO of the company. I was not used to this back in Germany and it was nice that there were measures taken to get to know the people working in the organisation.
"I had always wanted to travel and experience new people and cultures; to live abroad. But I had to be able to read and work in English. I considered many different places, because I really wanted to try to get a long way away from Germany. But instead, I ended up choosing one of the countries closest to Germany," he laughs and continues.
"I looked at both Sweden and Denmark, but ended up applying to DTU and AU in Denmark. I got a place in both universities, so I took a closer look at the courses they offered and the social aspects, and I concluded that AU made the most sense for me. Among other things, I saw that the university hosts this gigantic Regatta, and it was clear that there was huge focus on student life at AU."
"It's a young city, in that the average age of the population is low. That’s because so many students live here. And that’s good for your social life. Also, it's a big city without being too big. You can cycle to everything, and Aarhus is by the sea, so sometimes living here is a bit like being on holiday. When my sister visited me, she always said that I was not studying, but just on holiday. That was not quite true, because the programme was tough, but the surroundings were so beautiful that I really enjoyed life here. In my spare time, I enjoyed many of social opportunities Aarhus had to offer. For example the outdoor summer cinema in the middle of the forest at Moesgaard Museum. There was an incredible number of cultural events, both large and small."
"I loved going to a Friday bar and going from one Friday bar to another. There were 41 different Friday bars at the university, and you could simply hop from one to the other. There were no closed doors, and it was super cool. There were lots of different people, and it was probably the easiest way to meet new friends. I think it was pretty easy to make friends here. Many people said it could be difficult to get Danish friends, but it didn’t happen for me," he says.
"Definitely the Regatta . But it’s what I tell everyone about. It is super cool and fun. Back when I attended the first time, I’d only been at the university for three or four months, but I already had a number of Danish friends. We went there very early, at three o’clock at night and enjoyed ourselves until it all started. The Regatta is a kind of one-day festival, and everyone joins in. There are more than 30,000 young people, and the vast majority are students at AU, and that's great. The students themselves are responsible for the event, and I think it says a lot about the university that the students are allowed to arrange such a huge event."
"We were in small classes, and I think that's super cool. It made it easier to interact with both teaching staff and fellow students. The teachers really wanted us to understand the material. They didn’t think it was annoying to ask questions, and they really wanted be challenged and helpful. And we had a lot of group work. I think that's important, because you work in groups a lot in working life, so it prepares you for a job outside. And it made it easier for me to understand things," says Achim.
"First and foremost, academically it’s a very good university, and the professors are very interested in making sure you understand things. There’s a flat structure, and it‘s always easy to talk to the teachers. Furthermore, there’s a fantastic social life – everything’s are open. There are also a lot of like-minded and international students. I've never regretted coming to AU – it's been a great experience."
I still see myself working and staying in Denmark for longer. It is quite relaxed working here and I could even see myself starting a family here. I really enjoy everything the city has to offer – Aarhus is also young and international. I like going to the beach, going to the city centre with my friends, watching football at the big screens, stand-up paddling. It is a city with a lot of events and parties or organisations where you can volunteer, so you can meet people and make friends.
