What's next for Hertie's Class of 2025?

Florian Bochert is a graduate of the Master of International Affairs (MIA) programme. He pursued the European Governance concentration and wrote his master thesis on the cooperation of established political parties with the right-wing AfD in Germany (the so-called “Brandmauer”). During the summer between his first and second year of study, he completed an internship at the Bertelsmann Stiftung. While at Hertie, Florian was also co-lead of the futurEU Competition, peer advisor and student ambassador.

Hi Florian! It’s been a few months since you wrapped up your thesis at Hertie. What are you up to now?

Starting in October, I will be working full-time at the Bertelsmann Stiftung as a trainee. The Bertelsmann Stiftung in an independent foundation in Germany that runs projects and conducts research on different important societal topics. As a trainee, I will get to explore three different projects for a few months each before then deciding which topic I find most interesting – and hopefully continuing to work on that topic for longer. The traineeship not only allows me to explore my own interests but also lets me get to know the foundation more closely, which I am very excited for.

While being a trainee at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, I will also be writing my dissertation. During my first year at Hertie, I started working as a student assistant at the Wissenschaftszentrum für Sozialforschung Berlin (WZB), a well-known social science research institution. Just before graduating from Hertie, one of my supervisors asked me whether I wanted to continue our research within a dissertation. Since I love research and strongly believe in its importance, this was an offer I could not decline. So, I will do my best to combine a full-time position at the Bertelsmann Stiftung with dissertation research.

How do you expect to use your Hertie studies going forward in your career from here?

Hertie prepared me for my career both academically and professionally. Academically, many courses asked me to write literature reviews or even small research papers. In the last semester at Hertie, all students have to write a master’s thesis in which they are required to conduct original research. Going through this process and writing my master’s thesis was great preparation for the dissertation – which is just like a master’s thesis, only much longer. I will even incorporate my Hertie thesis into my dissertation.

Professionally, Hertie taught me many soft skills that are crucial in a working environment, but that most normal academic courses do not teach. For instance, several courses at Hertie required me to write policy memos, in which I had to succinctly summarize lots of information and make an argument. Most Hertie courses also have students give presentations or even debate a topic in front of others. Such skills, like succinct writing and clear communication, have prepared me well for my time at the Bertelsmann Foundation. 

What aspects of your Hertie experience were most influential to your next career steps?

The Hertie Career Fair was actually how I first got to know the Bertelsmann Foundation. Once a year, the Hertie School hosts a large career fair with many employers coming to campus. As a first-year student, I attended the career fair and had a great conversation with someone from the Bertelsmann Stiftung, who gave me her contact details. I followed up after the fair and ultimately got a summer internship there. Since all Hertie students are required to complete an internship, everything worked out perfectly.

I enjoyed the internship so much that I eventually applied for the traineeship at the Bertelsmann Stiftung a few months before graduating. Because I had been an intern, I already knew the foundation and many of the people in charge had also already heard of me. So, the Hertie Career Fair was immensely helpful in getting an internship and even in getting a full-time job later on.

What are you most excited for in this next stage?

I am most excited to finally put all my skills to use and have a positive impact. Many of my instructors at the Hertie School had an incredible career before starting to teach, for instance as the mayor of Athens or at the European Central Bank. Hearing their stories in class, I became eager and inspired to get out of the classroom to have a real-world impact. This is why many Hertie students take advantage of the “professional year,” in which they work for one year between their first and second year of their master’s degree. As I did not go on a professional year, I am even more excited and eager to apply my knowledge in the working world now that I have graduated. 

What advice would you give to next year's graduates (or Hertie students about to enter their final year)?

My main advice is to take advantage of the many resources that the Hertie School offers. I have already talked about the Career Fair and how it has helped me, but there are also Career Development workshops in which someone will check your CV or help you prepare for a job interview. When looking for a job after graduation, this can be of immense help.

You should also look at the people at the Hertie School, both instructors and students, as such a resource. Many of the instructors had very interesting careers before starting to teach, so they can answer many of your questions about jobs, skills, or life in general. They may also know of someone with whom you can further connect. Many of the students are equally valuable. Hertie students come from across the globe and bring all kinds of experiences with them to campus. The chances are high that at least one of your classmates can help you, whether that be academically or professionally. Our community is one of the most valuable things the Hertie School offers.