An internship at DIA

In DIAlog – in internship at DIA

Lena, Leyla, Emily and Lea are part of DIA as interns since the beginning of September. In the DIAlog they report about their first experiences & learnings in everyday life as a future interior designer.

What drew you to DIA and why did you want to be part of the team?

Lena: I became aware of DIA through the appealing internet presence. The concepts and the attention to detail of the projects fascinated and convinced me. Therefore, I then applied here and am very happy to have gotten a place.

Leyla: Besides the high quality and successful projects, DIA’s working style of approaching the process from the source of inspiration to the architectural concept immediately appealed to me. The positive internship reports from previous interns also encouraged me to apply. There are years of experience in working with interns. So you are not just there “to make coffee and print plans”, which was very important to me. At DIA, I already felt totally comfortable and welcome during the interview, which was not the case before. In addition to all the positive aspects, DIA really cought me in the end because of the sympathy and the feel-good factor. For me personally, the best basis for a successful internship.

Emily: I was particularly attracted by the projects in the field of building in existing structures. I was already particularly interested in this topic during my studies. I also noticed the pleasant atmosphere in the office right away during the job interview. It was then clear to me that I wanted to become part of the team.

Lea: I was able to find myself directly at DIA. The projects, the team, the style of implementation and the location in the west of Stuttgart convinced me. In addition, former interns have only positive things to say about DIA. Finally, I was attracted by the great national and international projects and the competition successes that DIA is currently celebrating.

Lena & Leyla – pictures taken by Gordon Kölmel

How do you like the work environment and what do you appreciate about the team?

Lena: There is a very relaxed working atmosphere in the office and we were very nicely received from the start. There is always a contact person in the team who you can ask or ask for help.

Leyla: There is a very pleasant atmosphere. There are young, competent people working here who really enjoy their work.
My project team is in a very challenging performance phase, which doesn’t exactly make it easy to supervise a new intern. Nevertheless, the team has welcomed me warmly. My colleagues do their best to give me responsible tasks where I can really take a lot with me. I am very grateful for that.

Emily: I immediately felt like I was in good hands. I was also pleasantly surprised by how much independence you have from the very beginning when working on different tasks. Nevertheless, I know that if I have any uncertainties, I can always turn to someone and ask for support.

Lea: The working environment is relaxed and a lot of emphasis is placed on team building. This happens, for example, at the monthly DIA cooking or in weekly team meetings. There is a positive atmosphere and you can tell that everyone enjoys their work. I feel really well taken care of in my project team and notice that everything is done to ensure that I get a lot out of my internship.

Emily & Lea – pictures taken by Gordon Kölmel

Influenced by the theoretical content of the course: What are the first learnings of practical work on real projects for you?

Lena: Right at the beginning, it was very exciting for me to see how the different trades work hand in hand and how you are always dependent on other specialist planners or the knowledge and work of other team members. You get used to a structured way of working, because many people are working on the same project and everyone should always be on the same level.

Leyla: You grow with your challenges! Through the Schlitz Brewery redevelopment project, I learned right from the start what it means to work on real problems and solve them in the best possible way. Teamwork is really essential. In college, you usually work for yourself and are not responsible for anyone else. Here, just organizing levels and classes is a science of its own, but super important to be able to work together in a file in the best possible way. Through the current performance phase 5 (execution planning) of my project, I have already learned a lot regarding “construction and detail drawing”. It takes a lot of thinking to adapt a detail to a complicated stock independently and without a sample solution.

Emily: In college, costs and budgets are not an issue. Having to pay attention to that now and no longer being able to just pick and choose what you like is definitely something new. But it’s also exciting to learn how such costs are calculated and to get a feeling for the prices of different materials.

Lea: One of the first things I learned was that there was a lot more paperwork to do in practice. That’s not meant in a negative way, quite the opposite. I like the holistic approach to a project. For example, right at the beginning of my internship I was able to get a glimpse into the topic of tenders. I also find the day-to-day work very varied, with different tasks at each stage of the project. During my studies, you usually deal with phase 3 – the design. The other service phases are more of a “minor matter” here.

What would you like to have experienced after your internship?

Lena: I wish to have experienced a realistic impression and first experiences of the profession as an interior designer after my internship. I hope that I can also get a taste of different performance phases of the projects in the coming months.

Leyla: I want to have consolidated and improved my skills in a wide variety of performance phases. In addition, the memory of a good time, which motivates me all the more to pursue this career path.

Emily: Many exciting insights into different projects, as well as the everyday work of interior designers, but also more independence and self-confidence in my own way of working.

Lea: I would like to have an idea of how a project runs from start to finish and, optimally of course, the corresponding skills to do so. I would also be very interested in a site visit and an insight into the work of a construction manager.

Apply now!

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