“A family-like environment, mostly owing to friendly teachers.
Dual training gives you unbeatable opportunities. And Székesfehérvár is a beautiful and liveable city.”
Interview with Fanni Örsi, a technical manager who was one of our dual students. Harman Becker Ltd. Harman Becker)
(Part 7 of the Alumni Interview Series)
- What was your motivation for choosing our university or its predecessor institutions? There were several motivating factors that led me to choose the technical management degree in the form of a dual degree programme at Alba Regia Technical Faculty of Óbuda University. One of the first of these factors was the additional opportunities in life that the degree would provide. Another aspect was that this degree encompasses knowledge from many different fields, which allowed me the freedom to decide which field I would like to work in after graduation. Finally, the choice of the faculty was based on the dual training format and the Székesfehérvár site, which gave me both financial security and the possibility to be self-employed from the age of 21.
- Can you recall your first memory of university? It would be difficult to pick a specific first memory, as this period started with a number of defining events for me. In addition to learning a completely new institutional system and starting my studies, the university gave me the opportunity to move away from the family nest and start my own life in a city I had never been to before. A new environment, new people, new systems and many, many other new things that successfully sucked me in during the first semester, with all its positive and negative effects. I think it is important to underline that it was then that I realised in some ways how different this university was from what I had heard from others, because the teachers here listened to us and didn’t let us fall behind because of the initial difficulties. One of my teachers came to see me personally because of two failed subjects, and made me aware that if I wanted to continue my studies in the long term in the dual system, I had to pull myself together. This first semester experience was a great motivation for me.
- Did the institution give you a life-long passport? Yes, human relations and good communication are very important.
- Did you find time to have fun while you were studying? What were your student years like at university? Yes, the first semester was perhaps a bit too hard, but in the end I managed to find the happy way in the middle between studying and having fun. I had an eventful time as a student, starting with an eventful freshman year, and then in the following semesters I had the opportunity to participate in the activities of HÖK and KollHÖK, and I also had the chance to study in Finland for half a year due to the Erasmus programme. In addition, I managed to do well in my studies and in my dual placement.
- Can you describe what you loved most about the university? The friendly atmosphere.
- Any advice for today’s youth on how to choose a university/career for themselves? I think it’s important that they choose a course that will really take them forward in achieving their goals, and that they accept that the path to achieve this is often difficult. I believe that it is not absoutely necessary to go to university to have a good career, but it is rather important to know what you want to do and to be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it.
- Can you recall a memorable moment that links you to our university? For me, my last semester will remain the most memorable. The final drive to write and submit my thesis, the preparation for the state exam, and the state exam day itself. This last period will be a lifetime experience.
- To what extent can you use what you have learned at our institution in your workplace? I have learned a lot in parallel with my university studies in the dual training at my current workplace, so it is difficult to separate the two. There was a lot of useful knowledge at university, most of which was really meaningful because of the practical experience I gained in the workplace.
- Did you want to do this as a child or did you have other “career dreams”? No, I had a completely different vision as a child and even in my last year of high school (it was dancing). I didn’t really have a clear idea of what direction I wanted to take. As I wrote in a previous answer, this is probably why I chose a course where I could “postpone” the choice of the exact direction.
- With a degree in hand, what were the first few steps you took to further your career? As well as taking up a full-time job, I applied for a Master’s degree as I believe that lifelong learning is important. It gives you many more opportunities at an institutional level when you are young. In addition, although it is not entirely linked to the degree, I am looking for continuous improvement in, for example, language skills, and I am also looking for further opportunities to progress.
- Did you have a supporter who helped you at the beginning of your career? There was and there wasn’t. On the one hand, I received a lot of verbal/spiritual support from my environment, family, friends, teachers and colleagues. On the other hand, I had to deal with every obstacle that came in my way by myself, as I arrived in the city on my own to start a basically new life. I would like to emphasise that I received no financial support and I am proud that I was able to be completely self-sufficient from the beginning of the university partly due to the dual training opportunities, and I have benefitted a lot from that.
- How would you recommend the Alba Regia Technical Faculty of Óbuda University to young people? The family-like environment, which is mainly due to friendly teachers. The unbeatable opportunities offered by dual training. And last but not least Székesfehérvár is a beautiful and liveable city.
