Mario Stranz BSc

Key data

Job description: Sales and Systems Engineer
Company: KNAPP AG
I work in: Hart bei Graz, Austria
I’ve worked here since October 2014
My contact

What I do

Develop concept and site layouts in intralogistics
Analyse and optimise logistics processes
Compile solution descriptions and offer presentations
Strategic system development and customer services

Why I love my job

I like the wide range of activities – there is no standard warehouse. And you are always being confronted with new challenges and new developments.

Important skills in my job

Creativity and social character
Analytical skills
Technical understanding

My biggest accomplishment so far

I was a member of the core project team for the largest shuttle project of the Fashion BU with approx. 500,000 spaces in a fully-automated OSR shuttle system, 15,000 spaces in a fully-automated pallet high-bay warehouse and over 7,500 m of conveyors. Completion of my Bachelor’s course was also a big success for me.

How I found my current job

A friend brought my attention to this post and everything moved relatively quickly after I had submitted my application documents. I received confirmation of the post after two interviews, and four weeks later, I had my first day at work.

What I learned for this job during my studies

Combining technical expertise with project-related thinking
Presentation skills
Preparing presentations
Organisational thinking

Job prospects in my field

I would imagine that the job opportunities in this sector are excellent because warehouse automation will play an ever more important role in the future and this sector will grow significantly as a result. Motivated and flexible employees with an enthusiasm for technology are in particularly high demand because well-trained staff are strongly sought after in this industry. Newcomers to the sector need to be very patient and motivated to learn new things because intralogistics is a very diverse and fast-paced field. The career prospects are excellent and ever-expanding for candidates with these skills.

I am

Ambitious
Determined
Inquisitive
Team player

About my job

I currently work as a sales and systems engineer. The next step would be promotion to the role of senior or team leader, and my biggest career goal is a position in senior to top management. KNAPP AG is an up-and-coming and innovative company with very substantial growth plans which I can certainly identify with. In my job, it is important to work for a company which is constantly developing and thinking ahead because if you stand still, you will eventually disappear from the market. Other important aspects are the corporate philosophy, employee philosophy and cooperative approach. If the path in studying / life seems rocky and steep at times, I would recommend simply placing one foot in front of the other and never giving up because you are often closer to your destination than you think.

I am currently studying

ales Management for Technical Products and Services at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt.

I continued my studies because ...

I wanted to complement the technical expertise I acquired as part of my Bachelor’s degree in Production Technology and Organisation with business training so as to improve my chances of achieving my goals faster and based on a more structured approach.

How I made studying compatible with my job

Combining studying with a job requires a high degree of concentration and good time management. You have to plan your working life so that you can spend Fridays from 14:30 sitting in a lecture hall and meet the various submission deadlines. Part-time study with a job requires a high level of discipline and motivation. The big advantage is that a course like this allows you to apply and implement what you have learned in a practical setting. This creates a win-win situation between working and studying.