Hi Niklas, what motivated you to go to Lichfield during your apprenticeship?

I read about the opportunity to go abroad with Hellmann and immediately thought “I want to do that”.
First of all, I found it exciting to put my English language skills to the test in real life. And I wanted to improve my technical English with a view to the logistics industry - because after all, topics such as forklifts and loading ramps are not part of one’s everyday vocabulary! Another motivation was to be able to see friends of mine, who are living in the UK. I just really enjoyed the idea of going abroad for a distinct period of time and therefore going to Lichfield for three months was a great opportunity.

Has it been easy for you to integrate into your new work environment and the new country?

It was super easy to integrate into my new work environment in Lichfield. My new colleagues have been really kind and supportive. They always tried to help and even within a week of me being there, we started having contact outside of work. Visiting some great English pubs was of course also on the program. The relaxed atmosphere at work made it a lot easier to get used to my new surroundings.

What did you miss most from home?

Of course, I missed my family and friends. But I also missed my dog a lot. Fortunately, I wasn't homesick, but sometimes it was hard to miss out on things. For example, in my home village we have an annual village fair, which had to be canceled in the past two years due to the pandemic. Last year it was finally happening again, but I was away in the UK, so I had no chance to join. Well, this year I will make up for it! 

What did you love most about living in Lichfield?

As I’ve been away during summertime, a huge positive aspect was the comfortable weather. While Germany suffered from an intense heat wave, I enjoyed my daily life in pleasant temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius. So, the supposedly bad British weather does have its advantages, too!  

Other than that, I also enjoyed living in a „typical“ English village. There were green fields with small stone walls everywhere. Also, as I mentioned before, I really appreciated the friendship with my colleagues. Fortunately, we had a car, so we went to Birmingham and London to do some sightseeing and visit museums.

What did a perfect day-off look like for you in Lichfield?

This question immediately made me think of a weekend I spent with my friends, that live in the UK. I visited them by car and we had a great day together. We went out to a pub and visited an exhibition. It was an active weekend with my friends and also a great contrast to living in the countryside.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us! Is there anything else you would like to add before we say goodbye?

Take the chance to go abroad as soon as you get it. It was so much fun and you get to know a completely different work environment in a new country. Moreover, you experience how locals actually interact and socialize with each other as well. It was such an amazing experience. So if you ever have the chance, please take it seriously and make the most out of it!

Thanks a lot for sharing your story with us, Niklas. We wish you a successful apprenticeship!