Julia Baumann

Study programme: Business Studies (BA) (opens in a new window)

Employer: Memmingen Airport Ltd

Position: Director of Aviation 

Contact: LinkedIn-profile (opens in a new window)


What advice would you give to young people looking for the right degree programme?
It’s not really that important whether the degree programme matches exactly what you want to do. Most of the time, you don’t really know what lies behind the subjects, the degree programme and the actual content. What matters is that you successfully complete your degree and have a great time. Your specialisation will become clear later on. 


What made you decide to study at HNU?
I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to study, and the Business Administration programme opened up a lot of possibilities for me. Also, I didn’t necessarily want to leave the region where I grew up, where I can pursue my hobby and have the chance to continue living with my parents, which saved me a huge amount of money. 


Challenging or a piece of cake: what was your work placement like and what tasks did you take on?
The work placement was absolutely brilliant. I was based in the Innovation Management department at Daimler Trucks Stuttgart, where I looked after the test vehicles for the first hybrid lorries. It was a wonderful experience where I was given responsibility, had a say in the work, and had some brilliant colleagues. 


What experiences during your studies had a particular impact on you?
What certainly shaped me was having to deal with many things that I didn’t enjoy. But that’s always the case in life, and it’s something you have to learn as a young person. On the other hand, there were also subjects that suddenly turned out to be very exciting and which I really enjoyed. What this showed me is that it takes perseverance and that, ultimately, it will lead to something that brings fulfilment. 


What advice would you give to all graduates looking for their first job?
At this stage, it’s important not just to have a degree as your ‘ticket in’, but also to find something you enjoy. My advice would be to keep looking a bit longer and find the right job, rather than accepting the first one that comes along. 


What was your first job like, and how did you come across it?
My first job was at Memmingen Airport (where I still work today). I applied for a part-time role in marketing that was advertised on the website, and during the interview I said that I really wanted to work at the airport but, of course, not on a part-time basis. Apparently, I managed to convince them :)


Please describe your typical working day. What projects are you working on, and which tasks do you particularly enjoy?
My day-to-day work is very varied. Aviation is a field that has been part of my life since I was 10 years old. I started gliding at 14, then obtained further pilot’s licences whilst at university, and naturally I wanted to work in aviation too. Because of my keen interest in the whole subject, I have now worked in many different areas at the airport. I spend a lot of time at my computer, dealing with emails, analysing Excel spreadsheets and writing manuals. But I’m also out and about on the airside, conducting proficiency checks on colleagues, observing their work in practice – as I’m responsible for them – and checking whether regulations are practical in real-world situations. In addition, I liaise with airlines, air traffic control and authorities to coordinate matters and attend conferences and trade fairs across Europe. In my new role as Director of Aviation, I also have the opportunity to help shape the airport’s strategic development and have been given greater budgetary responsibility. This is where my business studies degree comes in very handy again, even if my knowledge has probably become a bit rusty in the meantime. 


What are your career goals for the future?
To enjoy my work and never leave the aviation industry. However, a long-standing dream of mine is still to move into the cockpit of an air ambulance jet or helicopter.


How would you complete the following sentence?
HNU… “helped me get my foot in the door of a career in aviation.”