My name is Felix Unger and I am in the second year of my apprenticeship as a wholesale and export clerk at thenex GmbH in Bocholt, Germany.

Thanks to my business school in Bocholt (Berufskolleg am Wasserturm), the EU program Erasmus+ and thenex GmbH, I had the opportunity to spend a 4-week internship at our partner company BAI – Brescia Antincendi International Srl in Brescia, Italy. 

BAI plant

The company is one of the largest Italian companies designing, manufacturing and marketing a broad range of custom-tailored fire fighting and rescue vehicles, with first class after-sales service, specific training programs, customized maintenance agreements and a wide-ranging stock of spare parts.

Everything started with a long road trip. On the first weekend of April, I drove 1.100 km to get to my apartment in Brescia. I have made an intermediate stop at my aunts in Frankfurt and Stuttgart. On Sunday evening I reached Brescia and was warmly welcomed by my tutor, Mr. Lera, who is a regional sales manager in BAI, in Italy.

On my first working day, April 8th, I was picked up by Mr. Lera at my apartment and we went to BAI together. Ag my arrival, I was introduced to the sales and marketing team and also got to know the HR Manager Ms. Ferrazzoli.

In my first week, I got a brief presentation about the company and was taken around the entire BAI area by Mr. Mazzoleni (regional sales manager). In addition, I have met Mr. Guinchard, the sales manager. He explained to me more about the company and its activities, as well as the exact expiry of a tender.

Furthermore, this week was the Champions League match between Juventus Turin and Ajax Amsterdam, which I watched with my BAI colleague Mr. Mazzoleni and his friends. Thereby we ate homemade tartare & pasta and had lot of fun.

In my second week of work, Ms. Matei (Marketing Department), as well as Mr. Guinchard and the German sales manager Mr. Albrecht gave me the task to translate BAI’s website from English into German, which improved my product and language skills.

Milano cathedral

Over the Easter holidays, which are public holidays in Italy also, I got a visit from two friends from Germany. Together we explored the area around Brescia – so we were in Milan, in Sirmione on the Garda Lake, as well as in Iseo on the Iseo Lake with the largest European island in the inland waters „Monte Isola“.

In the third week, I learned more about the individual activities of the regional sales managers and had the task to translate the company’s product catalogs from English into German. In addition, Mr. Stefanoni, one of four project managers in the engineering department, explained me the engineering at BAI.

In this week I also made further explorations and drove to Verona and to the «Schauderterrassen» on the Garda Lake.

In my fourth and last week, BAI also explained to me other activities, such as marketing, and details, such as the guarantee/bonds (e.g., bid bond, performance bond).

Limone (Lake Garda)

In this week the first of May was celebrated, which is a widespread public holiday. On this day, I took my last chance to explore more places in Italy. So, I was in Limone on Garda Lake and I enjoyed the Ledro-, D’Idro- and the Tenno-Lake in bright sunshine.

On my last two working days, the 2nd & 3rd of May, I worked together with Mr. Guinchard on a customer survey and created an online form for it.

The training at BAI Brescia Antincendi International Srl was a great success for me, because I got the chance to gain new working experience in a foreign country, meet a lot of great people and improve my English. I would like to express my gratitude to all colleagues at BAI for their support and kind attitude, which made me feel very comfortable during my stay. I am looking forward to the next possibility to work and visit there again!