My name is Nico Stude. I began my apprenticeship at LEUE & NILL on August 1, 2019, and successfully completed it on January 19, 2022. During my apprenticeship, I gained insight into several areas. These include motor insurance, AXA claims, finance, transport, and AXA sales. I have now remained in the AXA sales department following the completion of my apprenticeship.
How did you come to do your apprenticeship at Leue?
I learned about LEUE & NILL through my father. He works at the LEUE & NILL branch in Münster. Through a temporary job there, I was already able to gain insights into the insurance sector and therefore decided to apply at LEUE & NILL in Dortmund.
How did your work week go?
IDuring the first two years of my training, I attended vocational school on a part-time basis. This means I had school 1 ½ days a week and worked 3 ½ days. In the final year of my training, I switched to block instruction because, due to good grades at school, I was able to bring my final exam forward by half a year. The block instruction lasted about 3 months and ended with the written final exam in November. After that, I went back to work. In mid-January, the oral final exam followed.
Do you like looking back on your training at LEUE & NILL?
I like to look back fondly on my apprenticeship because I always dealt with nice and dedicated people. Both the trainers and the training managers. With the other trainees and the training managers, we were a great team.
What caused you the most problems at the beginning of your training?
At first, I had a bit of a hard time with making phone calls. But after the first few conversations, that wears off and you become more confident and relaxed. I didn't actually have any major problems with my sleep schedule, even though I do prefer to sleep a bit longer now when I can.
A highlight moment in the training
A highlight of the apprenticeship was definitely our shared trainee trip to Movie Park in 2020. But great moments were also experienced within the company and all around the apprenticeship itself.
Funniest moment during my apprenticeship
There were many funny moments during the apprenticeship. None of them really stands out. Our two training managers definitely always had good one-liners up their sleeves, too. I fondly remember trade fairs that we visited and the funny conversations we had.
How did things go for you after your apprenticeship?
Following my training, as already mentioned, I will now be working in the AXA sales department and am not planning any changes in the future, especially because there is a great team in this department where I feel very comfortable. In the near future, I will presumably pursue further training to become a certified insurance specialist or a technical underwriter.
Were your expectations met during your apprenticeship? Or what had you hoped for before starting your apprenticeship?
From the training, I hoped above all that the people would be nice and competent. That was definitely fulfilled. As a trainee, you can't always do everything right all the time. You also need a bit of patience and the competence to convey technical matters well. The interpersonal aspect was also always a good fit. Thus, my expectations were met.
Do you still have contact with your former fellow trainees? What was your relationship with the other trainees like in general?
The relationship with the other trainees was great. Always on a friendly and pleasant level. One or two friendships were formed that will certainly last a long time. And currently, there is still contact with some of them, both privately and professionally via LEUE & NILL.
How was your relationship with your training managers?
The relationship with my training supervisors was also really good. Friendships definitely developed there too. We have already done one thing or another together in our private lives as well.
How do you like the atmosphere in our company?
The working atmosphere at LEUE & NILL is very pleasant. What I found particularly positive is that, as an apprentice, you are also valued.
Did you find the training stressful or did you feel stressed during your training?
Towards the end of the apprenticeship with the block release classes and the final exam, it naturally got stressful; that's just part of it. During the first two years, it wasn't all that stressful as far as school and the workplace were concerned. There was always enough time to properly prepare for exams and still get the work done at the company alongside that.
