A Unique Opportunity for Real Growth

Travelling to Munich to take up an internship in Germany during the start of a global pandemic? Why not? It probably wasn’t the best time to travel to the other side of the world, but it was an unmissable opportunity. It was a nice change of scenery, coming from hot and humid Queensland to the backyard of ancient Germania, dotted with ancient old castles, palaces, and the unforgettable European alps.

I managed to get around Munich, fumbling over my very limited German words to get myself a residence permit and signed contract with BMW. It only took two days of work until we were forced into a lockdown that lasted what felt like a year. These few months were the hardest part of my overseas adventure. Remote work was slow, it was difficult to communicate and be connected to the tasks we were doing. Thankfully we had frequent Zoom calls with our colleagues at BMW to have a chat and play some party games.

Fast forward two months and things started to get a little bit better. We were out of lockdown and the trees and plants were blossoming. Spring was well on its way, and we got to see Munich in full bloom. It was beautiful. Our first day back at work, after the gruelling lockdown, was to help move all our equipment out of the office I had only known for two days. It was against this backdrop that my internship with BMW truly started.

Working in the office with my new friends in Germany was a lot of fun, despite the uncertain circumstances of the Covid pandemic. I learnt and developed so much as an individual, and as an Industrial Designer. My expectations of the internship were that I wouldn’t have too much of an important role to play, but the reality was the complete opposite. Our skills, opinions and experiences were valued greatly, and we had a lot of say in the direction of certain projects. It was also around this time that I realised that this internship was a lot more than something to slap onto my CV. It was a place where I could really grow professionally and individually. Having worked with such a young, multicultural, aspiring, and talented team I learnt a lot of interpersonal skills and how essential it is to team success. As a team we learnt how to work smart, prioritise work and still have fun despite a global pandemic.

I am now back in Australia, in a Junior Design Associate position at the BMW Group + QUT Design Academy. Since the commencement of my role at the Academy I have been provided many opportunities to apply much of what I have learnt during my time at BMW. This role allows me to continue to learn and collaborate at an industry professional level alongside my local and international colleagues. I have been able to apply the skills I have acquired towards the Special Projects Program at the academy on a professional and interpersonal level. It is exciting to see these skills being used towards projects that will have real world impacts (more of which we hope to share with you all soon).

I am really enjoying my time at the BMW Group + QUT Design Academy. It is an environment that fosters growth and encourages learning to extend our skills as designers whilst providing us the opportunity to work on projects at the forefront of innovation.  

I am excited for the future of the Academy and my association with it. To be able to work and collaborate with BMW has provided me with new insights into the technology and research that is among the elite in the corporate world. I look forward to what our office at QUT and our partners at BMW in Germany will be able to achieve in the near future.

Until next time,

Tim Lim
Junior Design Associate