We are seeking for strong individuals
If you think that you are different, then you are exactly right to choose BENTELER. Are you looking for success? Do you have multi-tasking skills and team spirit, or do you tackle problems gladly? Are you trustworthy and can you convince your counterpart easily and effortlessly? What are your strengths and what makes up your personality?
BENTELER is an attractive employer with a great variety of opportunities for newcomers and newly promoted employees in the entire group. We want you to contribute your individuality and personality, irrespective of whether you are pursuing a career in a specialized subject, management or projects, since we are seeking strong individuals who are ready to contribute actively to the firm's progress and success.
Do you want to find out more about the opportunities for individuals at BENTELER?
Feel free to pick a country and read the interviews of every individual for a better insight about BENTELER.
A communicator between cultures
Xin Chen 
Germany and China—two countries that, at first glance, could not be more different. Perhaps that is also the reason why the two lands exert such a draw for travelers. From bockwurst and beer to castles and cathedrals, with Goethe and Albrecht Dürer thrown in for good measure, Germany's culture and history have a good deal to offer. The country boasts a reputation for quality and engineering genius that is practically unmatched. But China too has much to be proud of, and is currently traveling a meteoric path toward becoming a global economic powerhouse. Royal dynasties dating back millennia, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China—feats of construction that even today inspire awe in us all. Add to that a culture that puts values like harmony, a long life, and strong family ties first. Xin Chen, Project Engineer at BENTELER Automotive Shanghai, knows his way around both cultures and views himself as an intermediary between the two worlds.
"In 2012 I completed my master's program in mechanical engineering in Germany at the University of Clausthal and immersed myself in German culture. Apart from speaking German, I also know what makes Germans tick and can respond to differences in communication styles in my work."
Why BENTELER?
Even as a schoolboy, Chen was interested in the natural sciences and engineering. He chose mechanical engineering mainly because China is an enormous growth market. Whether for machinery or buildings, the market is crying out for good engineers. After completing his master's program in Germany, Chen got wind of an opportunity to do a technical traineeship at BENTELER.
"It was obvious to me that one day I would go back to China. I'm a family-oriented person, and my parents and friends are very important to me. BENTELER presented me with the prospect of returning to Shanghai after one or two years. No matter what I end up doing, top-quality professional experience in an international company like this gives me the ideal start to my career."
The Project Engineer for BENTELER Automotive Shanghai, who is in his late twenties, acts as a key interface with Germany. In collaboration with his German co-workers, he finds opportunities and solutions for producing high-quality products for local automobile manufacturers.
Communication and open-mindedness
In his personal life as well, Chen is an open-minded and communicative person. He is an avid and frequent traveler—for one because it gives him the opportunity to gain familiarity with many different cultures and people. He is still in touch with many friends and companions in Europe. He is the perfect tour guide, and recommends a tour of Shanghai by night to his guests. He is also a devoted sports fan who likes to go swimming and play basketball.
"For me, ‘the journey is the reward.’ Keep your eyes open as you travel through life no matter what, and don't miss the things you're passing along the way. What do you see there? Beautiful landscapes. Now and again you meet people who travel alongside you for a stretch. At work as well, it's not just about finishing a project—how I do it is important too."
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Our German apprentices and dual students during their stay abroad in America
Lea and Manuel, our dual students in International Business, gained valuable professional and personal experience during their three-month stay abroad in Houston, USA, from July until September 2024.
They were actively involved in the creation of a marketing video for our site in Shreveport, which documents the entire process from the construction to the commissioning of the new threading machine. They were also responsible for preparing outgoing invoices for the Shreveport plant on a daily basis. Another highlight of their job was helping to relaunch the website for oil and gas extraction products in North America.
In their free time, the two have taken numerous city trips, including visits to Austin, San Antonio, San Marcos, New Orleans and Los Angeles. They also explored the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston, Freeport and Port Aransas. Houston itself offered them many attractions, including the NASA Space Center, various museums and parks such as Memorial Park, Hermann Park and Buffalo Bayou Park. A particular highlight was a visit to NRG Stadium for the Copa America quarter-final, where they had the opportunity to see Lionel Messi live as Argentina against Ecuador played. But they also enjoyed the culinary diversity of the local cuisine, from Mexican dishes to typical Texan BBQ.
Lea and Manuel not only expanded their professional skills during their stay abroad, but also gained unforgettable cultural and personal experiences.
Our apprentices Nico and Erik were at our plant in Shreveport, USA, from July to September 2024 as part of their stay abroad. After their arrival, Nico and Erik got straight to work. First there was an introduction with safety rules and a tour.
Nico was assigned to the local IT department. His contact person quickly noticed his interest in programming and introduced him to the MES team. There, Nico was given his own project “Mobile Applications” and was asked to create a basic framework with a homepage for the scanners in the plant. After completing this project, Nico created a meeting attendance application that could be used to create, edit and manage meetings and record attendance by scanning. He really enjoyed these projects as he was able to contribute his own ideas and had a great team on site to help and support him at all times. Nico also had to give a presentation about his project in English, which was a big challenge for him, but he mastered it with flying colors.
Erik worked in Shreveport at the Hot Mill as an electrician in maintenance. His tasks included maintaining and repairing systems as well as troubleshooting. He also worked in programming and configured and tested a training station for the PLC with various components in the tech room. This station was intended to help new team members familiarize themselves with the PLC.
In their free time, Nico and Erik visited many exciting places, e.g. the Hot Springs National Park. They also visited Lea & Manuel, our two dual students in International Business, who were spending time abroad in Houston at the same time. Together they went to a Copa America soccer match. Another highlight was a tour through a swamp in New Orleans, where the four of them were able to observe alligators in the wild. At the end of his stay abroad, Nico went on a two-week vacation on the West Coast. This included trips to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
During their stay abroad, Nico and Erik were able to expand their professional skills, implement new projects and get to know American culture. Both are very happy to have embarked on this adventure and agree that they would repeat this experience at any time.
In July 2024, our dual IT students Joel-Maurice and Felix went to Grand Rapids for three months as part of their stay abroad.
Joel-Maurice learned about the local IT infrastructure, including the key card system, server cabling and server disposal. He was also involved in the migration of old systems and brought new ideas and cost savings to the plant. Felix has trained supply chain employees in the production planning tool as well as the sales and production planning process. He supported the implementation of MProCs Outbound at the plant, worked on SAP application development and visited the BENTELER plant in Holland.
In addition to work, they participated in a taco festival with goal wall shooting and throwing, celebrated four accident-free years at the Shreveport plant and socialized with colleagues from various departments, with whom they also enjoyed regular restaurant visits. They were also part of a joint baseball game with colleagues from Hagen. Every week they explored new cities and took trips to Toronto and Niagara Falls. On top of that, they spent beach days in Grand Haven, Holland and South Haven, attended Nascar races, went for walks and hikes on trails and in nearby forests. Numerous cultural activities were also on the agenda, including art museums and the Ford Museum in Detroit.
Joel-Maurice and Felix enjoyed their stay abroad to the full and are now returning to their dual study program in Paderborn with many new impressions under their belts.