A rich heritage and forward-leaning innovation culture. This in combination with strong personal development opportunities is what made Caroline Lilja choose to do her trainee period with us at Husqvarna Group. With less then a month left of her time as a trainee we wanted to know more about what she’s been up to.
As Caroline is born and raised in Jönköping was Husqvarna Group not entirely unheard of.
“I knew quite a lot about the company, before joining the program. I worked for five summers in the finance department during my university time. During these summers, I got a taste of the company culture. I had many fantastic colleagues and managers who invested a lot of time in me and really helped me develop”, she says.
Our trainee program is a journey full of innovation, leadership and international experiences. The trainees become part of a large team and experience cross-functional assignments and training modules that strengthen their understanding of our business. All while getting new friends and colleagues across the world.
During her trainee period, Caroline has worked within Sourcing with a focus on understanding the robotics side of our business. She has done three international assignments, in the UK, China and the US as well as one rotation in Huskvarna, Sweden. When asked what she found interesting about the program and why she decided to join her answer was:
“Husqvarna Group’s trainee program is a well-established program with a clear international profile. I liked the idea that you get a target position at the beginning of the program. This creates a clear goal and purpose of the program. What also caught my interest was the dynamic between the rich heritage, and the forward-leaning innovation culture. I wanted to join an international company with many opportunities to develop myself. Husqvarna Group was the perfect match”.
Three quick questions
What has been the most fun about the trainee program?
There is no doubt about what the most fun part of the program has been. Definitely, all the people that I met from around the world! I have met so many fantastic people from totally different cultures and countries. From typical ‘Chinese round table dinners’ with colleagues and suppliers to charity work and Southern BBQ’s in the US, and to pub crawls and football in the UK. I’ll bring this experience with me my whole life.
What has been most challenging about the trainee program?
The most challenging part of the program has been to be ‘dropped’ in a new situation every 3-6 months. However, this has also been the most developing part of the program. I have learned a lot about myself and worked on my ability to adapt to new situations.
What’s up next for you?
The main thing next up for me is a really cool project! We are developing an autonomous rider. This project shows the essence of Husqvarna Group - innovation meets heritage! I’ll be the sourcing manager for this project. Challenging and Exciting!