TGW Insights: Christian Baumann
14. October 2021

MOTIVATION, BACKPACKING & DIGITALIZATION

An interview with IT specialist Christian Baumann about an exciting and complex IT project as well as the positive aspects and experiences in his (work) life.

Name / Job / TGW-location:
Christian Baumann / Software Developer / Regensburg, Germany

My last online order: 
A sticker package containing 100 stickers from the US ... I'm sure that a TGW system was involved in the process at some point.

How long have you been working at TGW? 
I started my training in 2010.

My job as a film title: 
"How to train your data"

The most important piece of equipment for my job: 
Besides my espresso cup, that would definitely be pen and paper (I'm a visual thinker).

My job personality in a few words: Curious, happy to help, unconventional

Tea or coffee? 
Avid coffee drinker

Stairs or lift? 
Up to three  stories, I take the stairs; if it's more than that, I prefer the elevator.

Motivating, inspiring, and definitely a highlight in his life – this is how IT specialist Christian describes his work experience in Germany, England and Switzerland as well as a longer stay in New Zealand. Now in his late twenties, he is working on an exciting and complex topic in connection with digitalisation: the Single Point of Truth.

CHRISTIAN, TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT JOB.

Together with a team of nine colleagues, I am currently working on a new service which saves all relevant data of a customer project in a centralized and standardized way. At the end of the day, this uniform basis simplifies and accelerates the planning, control and execution of our business operations. I am right at the centre of important developments for the future that will ensure that TGW remains as succesful as it is. The whole thing is called Single Point of Truth (or SPOT short). It means that all departments involved can acces a central data source.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES, AND ULTIMATELY FOR TGW?

A pretty complex environment of different data which we are merging step by step. Large amounts of data are exported and imported with different tools to be able to execute such a big project for one of our customers. We are making this rigid and often limited workflow more flexible, more transparent and also safer. Together, we are establishing a Single Point of Truth for TGW, permitting the successful management of data quality and master data. The magic word is "Operational Excellence", enabling us to meet future challenges in our market successfully.

HOW DID YOU JOIN THE TGW GROUP?

More than ten years ago, I completed an IT internship and then trained as an IT specialist for application development at TGW Software Services in Teunz, Germany. A lot has happened since then - I gained experience abroad on customer projects in Switzerland and England, then used my practical experience to work on standard software and thus advance individual, exciting software projects.

HOW WELL DO YOU MANAGE TO BALANCE YOUR PRIVATE AND WORK LIFE?

At first, it was quite a challenge, especially during my stays abroad. During these times, I learned a lot about myself and consequently changed my way of thinking and acting. I am happy and grateful that I could learn so much at TGW and that I found the perfect job for me. Even if it was tough at times. Recently, I was able to make a dream come true when I took some time off work to backpack around New Zealand for nine months, where I hiked and took lots of pictures. Afterwards, I started a new project at TGW, the SPOT database.

SOMETHING ESSENTIAL THAT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IN YOUR JOB ...

It may sound cheesy, but at the end of the day, it's our culture and values for me, and how they are put into practice at TGW. At TGW, this has a very positive effect on my work environment and the way we work as a team. You keep noticing that the focus is indeed on people, not only on professional aspects. I experienced that first hand several times.

IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO A CRYSTAL BALL: HOW WILL YOUR JOB CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS? 

Hard to say. Mobile working is definitely here to stay. As digital technologies make business and industry more efficient, reliable and fit for the future, the possibilities and opportunities will surely grow. And since I have already found a great work environment in a cool industry, I am looking forward to watching the virtual and real production worlds merge more and more.

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