Post by Maike Strauch

After 15 months, I’m proud to share that my journey as part of the DHL Grow Graduate Program has come to an end. This past year has been more than just a development program – it’s been a time of growth, eye-opening experiences, and meaningful connections. Since it is hard to summarize the entire 15 months here are my top three takeaways: 1. A smooth onboarding through curated trainings like “welcome to my company” to understanding how a global organization like DHL works, basic consulting skills training and (my favorite) our internal customer centricity training “First Choice”. 2. Experiencing operations first-hand Spending a day as a courier, supporting telesales and customer service, visiting hubs and sites – I got to see the business up close and appreciate the people who make it all happen. 3. Rotating through three very different departments: • Supporting the Group Strategy 2030 with a focus on digitization • Working in Digital Customer Solutions for DHL Express and deep diving into customer journeys • Spending 3 months in the Regional Business IT Office in Singapore, gaining international and cross-cultural experience This journey wouldn’t have been the same without the incredible people I met along the way. Thank you Dagmar Joswig for bringing me into the yellow machine and guiding me through the last year. To my managers at Express Enna Zarate, Jimmy Yeoh and Madhura Chavan – thank you for the warm welcome, continued support and encouragement. To the Grow Program Managers Laura Holtmeier, Alina Holthausen & Judith May and my fellow Growies, and every colleague who made me feel at home – no matter where in the world I was. Now I’m excited to take the next step as a Service Designer at DHL Express, going back to my design roots and helping to shape and improve customer experiences across the world. ✨ P.S. if you’re interested in the Program feel free to reach out!