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 woman of action with a knack for leadership
Trude Ovstetun 
Even today there is no lack of occupations that people tend to think of as “men’s jobs.” For some years now, however, more and more women have been venturing into the technology sector, and they have been encouraging other women to do the same. Trude Ovstetun, Manufacturing Manager at BENTELER Automotive in Raufoss, Norway, is a case in point, and her appeal to young women lies close to her heart. Companies, too, have recognized that a mix of both sexes contributes to efficiency gains.
“I originally wanted to study law. I was always fascinated by the laws that govern our lives. But I also found science very interesting, and for that reason I decided in 1996 to pursue studies in nature, the environment, and health. That was a good combination of both fields, since environmental protection has a lot to do with legislation.”
Why BENTELER?
Now in her late thirties, Ovstetun reports that it was the prospect of working in the automotive industry that appealed to her most back then—an industry where innovation, technology, and science are wedded to continual development. Working within her field of competence since 2000, 2008 she joined the company as Safety, Health and Environment Manager, and she has remained faithful to the company ever since.
“I have become Manufacturing Manager thanks to the company and the factory management, which recognized and fostered my character and talent. I appreciate the opportunity to join the FOL Leadership training. And I would like to encourage all young women to fight for their dreams of a professional career. There are companies such as BENTELER that offer opportunities—you just have to seize them."
And even as a woman working in a field dominated by men, Ovstetun has not had to give up on balancing the demands of family and professional life. As a mother of two children, she has numerous childcare options in Norway. And flexible working hours is very important to manage worklife balance.
Motivation and leadership
Ovstetun has earned her management position through years of perseverance and ambition. She is responsible for production and believes it is very important to motivate employees and instill in them enthusiasm for their work. As a woman, she regards her communication skills and her structured approach to what she does to be her main strengths.
“I’m good at conveying knowledge in vivid terms. I want employees to understand or understanding without to why they are doing what they do. I’m not a traditional technician, but someone whose management qualities are based more heavily on communication and teambuilding as a fundament for problemsolving and improvement. Authenticity is very important to me in my role, and I don’t balk at taking on work, even when it’s not particularly enjoyable. That, too, is a part of life.”
Aside from her job, family plays a very important role for the Norwegian native. Ovstetun’s family often engages in outdoor activities together and is fond of traveling. A genuine safari in Africa would be a dream come true. And as long as it were compatible with her family life, Ovstetun could well imagine herself working at another BENTELER location—especially one abroad.
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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.