Kathrin Apfelthaler is a graduate of the General Management MBA (Class 2012-2014) and talks about her motives for participating in this postgraduate MBA program, about how career and further education go together and what tips she would give interested parties.

Why did you decide to do the General Management MBA at TU Wien & Danube University Krems (DUK)?

I received a very good technical education at the TU Wien and found the combination of the TU together with the DUK interesting. Lectures on management methods paired with economic know-how represented an optimal course of study for me.

How has the MBA program influenced your career?

The basic economic knowledge gained from the MBA enables me to recognize and understand company-relevant contexts much better. In my opinion, the combination of technical and business knowledge is also a solid and sought-after direction for the future. 

To what extent did you personally benefit from the university course?

I have personally been challenged by dealing with many different topics. The discussions with colleagues were also enriching, as they brought in different points of view due to their diverse backgrounds.

What do you think of when you remember the course? What were the highlights?

I remember the many Friday afternoons and Saturdays in Theresianumgasse, with group exercises and lectures. Or the weeks in Krems, marked by international lectures. A highlight for me was also the preparation of the master thesis and the insights into various companies that I gained in the process.

What would you advise future participants to do?

I experienced the two academic years as very intensive. The attendance appointments were followed by time-consuming elaborations and exam preparations. This meant staying on the ball even in hot phases and sometimes "hanging in there".

Your ritual at the beginning of the working day is ...

... to go through the list of topics for today and have a short stand-up meeting with colleagues over coffee. 

Ten years from now, I'll be...?

... hopefully I will still be able to carry out an exciting and challenging professional task that inspires and motivates me.

Dipl.-Ing. Kathrin Apfelthaler, MBA participated in the 13th round of the General Management MBA and completed the university course in 2015. She works as IT Business Analyst at ÖBB Personenverkehr AG.

Are you interested in the General Management MBA? Then visit us at generalmba.eu