Interview
Why did you choose the QUSH degree programme at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences?
After passing my master craftsman’s examination in hairdressing, I’d wanted to study for many years. However, without a school-leaving certificate, this wasn’t possible. A few changes had to be made to the education system first so that I could be admitted to university without a school-leaving certificate. My master craftsman’s examination became my ‘passport’ to enrol at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
I had already completed a distance learning course in business administration for the craft sector through the Kolping Academy. Business administration isn’t really my cup of tea in terms of content, but I really enjoyed the self-organisation involved in the distance learning programme.
I’m from Kleve, so for me it was clear: now that we have a university in Kleve, that’s where I’ll study. I chose QUSH because I was interested in the natural sciences, but it was also a case of process of elimination. At the time, I didn’t think I could manage studying in English, so most of the degree programmes were ruled out. Early years education or tourism were out of the question for me in terms of content, and that left Bio Science and Health and QUSH. I liked Quality Management best.
You work at bb med. in the Quality Management and Regulatory Affairs department. How did you find this job?
You could call it chance or fate – it was meant to be. My neighbour went on a company tour here and liked what he saw. I hadn’t heard of bb med. before, but that’s the case for most people. I started here part-time whilst studying part-time alongside my job. After I graduated, I was taken on full-time.
The role in Quality Management and Regulatory Affairs didn’t actually exist in that form until then. Back then, nobody knew exactly how to define the role, because QUSH was a new and rather unique degree programme. It still is today. It was clear that someone had to be responsible for this area of the business in a dedicated role, but it wasn’t as clearly defined as, for example, the roles of an accountant or product developer.
Enquiries or tasks that didn’t really fit into any specific department were consequently often passed on to me. The areas of ‘quality’, ‘environment’, ‘safety’ and ‘hygiene’ are diverse and omnipresent in a manufacturing company; they don’t belong in accounting, nor in sales, and often don’t clearly fall within the remit of production management either. And that usually ends up with me :-).
What did you learn from your bachelor’s thesis?
I wrote a risk assessment for a new production area and learnt a great deal in the process. It also changed my view of occupational safety in general and gave me insights into how to improve workplace ergonomics with small changes. Thanks to my bachelor’s thesis, we had a very comprehensive risk assessment at our disposal, which we were able to present during inspections and audits by the employers’ liability insurance associations (BG). The subject of the thesis helped me to speak confidently and on equal terms with people from, for example, a regulatory body, the Office for Occupational Safety and Health, or the district government.
What is your typical working day like?
My areas of responsibility cover regulatory affairs and quality management in almost equal measure, as well as the integrated environmental and energy management systems to a lesser extent. I monitor processes and evaluate key performance indicators at the end of the year, support customer audits, and plan and carry out internal, external and supplier audits.
Quality management also ensures the legally compliant traceability of all our products. This is monitored by authorities, for example, and is relevant when enquiries are made about products. I’m the ‘paperwork wizard’ here at the company and sometimes have to show a certain amount of tenacity.
In the Regulatory department, I deal with the legal requirements for our products, communicate with authorities and suppliers, compile documents for our products, and pass on information about our company and products to our customers.
Everything must always be kept up to date. There’s always something going on in this department: :-)
For example, products have to be registered with the authorities. We usually handle these registrations for our customers. When finalising the processing of a complaint or an incident, it is my job to collate the information and ensure the documentation is in order. For example, the customer (usually not the end user) reports a skin reaction in an end user. It is my job to draft a corresponding response to our customer, based on the available data, confirming that the product left our premises in perfect condition.
What do you particularly like about your job?
We have an excellent working atmosphere here, great products and we’re a brilliant team. The Quality Management and Regulatory Affairs departments are right up my street in every respect. The work is varied yet has a certain structure. That’s important to me and I like to ensure that these structures are taken into account and adhered to.
What advice would you give to our students and prospective students?
Make the most of every opportunity the university offers during your studies in terms of practical experience and applying the knowledge you’ve gained!
From my current perspective (and looking back on my own experience as a student), this includes not only internships and jobs but also courses on key skills. It’s important to recognise your personal weaknesses and build on your strengths.
In job applications, a CV showing practical experience in the field of your future career path looks very good; moreover, it is helpful for choosing your own path to have more than just theoretical knowledge of one or two professional fields.
In three words, how would you describe Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences?
Innovative: The programme offers a good mix for the target employer group of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises); the combination of broad-based courses with compulsory work placements prepares students well for the business world.
Chaotic: I was a student in the early days of the university; back then, the semester timetables were usually published at short notice and we even had to check our exam results from notes in the display case in Building 12 :-). I think the pandemic has brought that chaos back a bit; it’s still a bit chaotic.
Personal: The university was still quite small back then; sometimes there were just 10 of us in a room, which was very pleasant. Perhaps it’s a subjective impression, but as a part-time student in my mid-thirties (and with a dog – back then, my little dog was still allowed in lectures!), I stood out a bit and was probably known by name to all ‘my’ lecturers for that very reason.
Date of interview: December 2023