Every year, the i-work Business Award is given to companies in Jena that are committed to cosmopolitanism in the Jena region and integrate their international employees into the team in an exemplary manner. In 2024, the companies VACOM, Occlutech and the ‘Zur Noll’ restaurant won the award. We wanted to know how international skilled workers rate their arrival and life in Jena, what challenges they faced on their arrival and how their company supported them.
To find out, we spoke to Martyna Pawlak. She comes from Poland and now works in the ‘Parts cleaning and assembly’ department in the final packaging division at VACOM Vakuum Komponenten & Messtechnik GmbH in Großlöbichau.
All articles on the i-work Business Award:Get to know Martyna Pawlak:
What country are you from and what made you decide to move to Jena?
I come from Poland and my move to Jena was a coincidence. After working in the Netherlands for a long time, my husband and I decided to move to Germany and change our lives. After we found a suitable job offer, it turned out that our new workplace was in Jena.
Why did you choose Jena as a place to work and what in particular attracted you to your employer?
Our offer came from an employment agency that was working with VACOM at the time. We accepted the job offer in Jena, googled the location and had the feeling that it might be a good decision. And it was. Firstly, it’s only a 5-hour drive from Jena to our family in Poland, whereas it was a 12-hour drive from the Netherlands, which was often a problem when travelling home. And secondly, there is an 8-hour system here with two shifts, which was important for us.
What challenges did you face when you arrived in Jena and how did your company help you?
The biggest challenge for me was the language. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to communicate. It was difficult for me to communicate in English because very few people spoke the language. Our work colleagues were very helpful and helped us to learn German. They were always willing to explain new things and luckily, with the help of language courses and conversations in German with work colleagues, this is no longer a problem for me.
The next challenge was finding a flat, which wasn’t easy at all. Our German wasn’t the best back then, so it meant a lot of stress for me. I didn’t know how I would get on and whether I would even find a flat. It wasn’t easy, but after a month we managed to get a flat from Jenawohnen. We also considered living outside Jena, but I really like city life and didn’t really want to choose anything else.
How do you experience working in intercultural teams and what particular strengths does this bring?
I really enjoy working in intercultural teams because it gives me the opportunity to experience a new culture, a new language and all sorts of interesting things about other countries. And what do you realise as a result? You realise that we are all the same, that we work in the same way, that we don’t differ in anything except the colour of our skin.
Do you have any recommendations or advice for professionals from abroad who are planning to move to Jena?
Jena is an open city, but it often happens that many people don’t speak English, which sometimes makes communication difficult in everyday life if someone doesn’t know German. But nothing is impossible – nowadays we have many communicators and helpful translators to overcome the language barrier.
Why do you think it is important for companies to be committed to diversity and cosmopolitanism?
I think it’s very important. Because nobody wants to feel excluded just because they have a different skin colour, speak a different language or have a different religion or culture – we are all the same. The world has many wonderful people who are experts in their field, whether they come from Germany, Poland, India, Africa or anywhere else in the world.
Is there a German tradition or quirk that confuses you or that you find charming?
I really like the Christmas season in Germany when you can visit the different Christmas markets in every city. Even outside of the Christmas season, there are often city festivals where you can also have a great time.
In Thuringia, I fell in love with Thuringian dumplings with sauce – it’s my favourite dish. Thuringian bratwurst is a close second.
I don’t like the bureaucracy in Germany – the amount of documents in my folder is huge, it would be much better if you could do a lot of things at home on the computer.
We would like to thank you for the interview and wish you all the best for the future!
