Traineeship at Koelnmesse - the negotiation expert
Compare costs and negotiate: Marco Sander on his tasks in the Procurement department.
21-year-old Marco Sander has been a trainee event manager at Koelnmesse since August 2017. Before joining Koelnmesse, he obtained his higher education entrance qualification.
With which areas of Koelnmesse have you already become familiar?
Since starting my training I've worked in the International, Trade Fair Management, Event and Event Design and Visitor Services departments. At the moment I am responsible for orders, master data maintenance and tenders in the Procurement department. I particularly enjoy preparing tenders, which involves collecting quotes, making cost comparisons and compiling evaluations. Negotiating the conditions is then the highlight of the tendering process. A particular challenge for me is the search for the most economical offer, since the first tendency is often towards the cheapest. This is why we have to check all the services very carefully in Procurement. In the case of joint projects in various specialist areas, we discuss tenders and contracts with all parties involved. This often results in more coordination and a lengthier process.
Why did you decide on a traineeship at Koelnmesse?
I wanted my training to be very multifaceted and varied. Koelnmesse is the perfect employer in this regard because I work in different departments and therefore take different perspectives. This allows me to get to know the company from all sides and to find out how the individual departments work, which often makes my day-to-day work easier.
What should applicants be able to offer?
Applicants should be communicative and open-minded, but also have a certain organizational talent. In addition, it is common in the project teams in particular to work together towards a common goal.
What opportunities does the traineeship at Koelnmesse offer you?
A wide-ranging insight into the trade fair and event industry and good preparation for the professional future after completing the training.