Through the FiT – Women in Skilled Trades and Technology initiative run by the "Frauenberatung Waldviertel", Cornelia joined Pollmann’s Logistics Department. Since May 2026, she has been gaining practical experience as a trainee, working alongside the team while building the knowledge and skills required for her qualification. Over the next two years, she aims to complete her vocational training and embark on a new professional chapter.

When every experience starts to make sense
Cornelia’s career has taken her through a variety of industries, including hospitality, hotels and retail, often in leadership positions. She took on her first management role at the age of 18. Managing inventory, maintaining an overview of stock levels and working with a wide range of people were already part of her daily responsibilities.

Today, these experiences have proven to be just as valuable in a technical manufacturing environment. Logistics also requires a clear overview, effective coordination and the ability to ensure that numerous interconnected processes run reliably and efficiently.

"I enjoy bringing order and structure to complex situations," says Cornelia. "That’s exactly the strength I want to build on in my new role."

Learning on a larger scale
One of the aspects Cornelia finds most exciting about warehouse logistics at Pollmann is the opportunity to work within larger, interconnected processes. Material, information and production flows must be carefully aligned. Materials need to be available at the right place and at the right time, inventory transactions must be accurate, and every interface has to function seamlessly.

The practical nature of the training was one of the main reasons she chose this career path. "I wanted to understand what day-to-day work in a logistics department is really like instead of only learning the theory from a desk," she explains. She is particularly fascinated by working with SAP. While the system initially seemed like a complex collection of numbers and abbreviations, it gradually began to reveal the bigger picture.

"It's rewarding to understand the meaning behind the individual data points and see how everything fits together."

Building on existing strengths

Although many of her current responsibilities are new, Cornelia benefits every day from the skills she developed throughout her previous career. Empathy, a strong sense of responsibility, flexibility and the ability to stay focused under pressure are all qualities that transfer naturally to her new working environment.

At the same time, she has consciously embraced a different role. After several years in management, she is once again a learner. She admits that this has been unfamiliar and, at times, challenging. As a manager, she was used to questioning and improving existing processes. During her training, the priority is first to understand established procedures, learn the underlying principles and build a solid technical foundation. She especially appreciates the support she receives from her colleagues.

"I'm gaining an incredible amount of practical experience, and I'm grateful to be surrounded by so many supportive people."

Just give it a try

Cornelia has one key piece of advice for women considering a career in technology or planning a new educational path: it is difficult to judge a profession purely from the outside. Many technical roles appear more complicated than they actually are.

Her recommendation is to approach technical careers with an open mind, make use of practical learning opportunities and allow yourself the time to understand the processes.

"You don't need to understand every technical detail before your first day. What matters most is staying curious, asking questions and being willing to learn."

At Pollmann, we support people who want to apply their talents in a new professional environment. Hands-on learning, dedicated mentors and active involvement in day-to-day operations provide the ideal foundation for personal and professional development. Because anyone embarking on a new career path already brings valuable assets: experience, personal strengths and the willingness to keep growing.

Cornelia sums up her new beginning with these words:
Courage. Openness. Finding where I belong.

Learn more about our apprenticeship programmes and current career opportunities.

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