A love of travel brought German-born Thorben Jaeschke to DEUTZ Australia after he took a gap year and ended up in Melbourne.
Among other things, Thorben’s passion for our coffee and cake has kept him here as a Planning & Operations Coordinator in Head Office administration.
A typical day for Thorben “definitely starts with a coffee” and a sincere wish that a colleague is having a birthday, so that he can enjoy the celebratory cake.
When he isn’t eating, his many tasks include seeking local parts, logistics, engineering, accounting, demand and production planning and inventory planning for new engines and spare parts.
Thorben also puts his German to good use, translating documents and software errors for his colleagues.
“I like that my role includes wide spread tasks,” he says. “Every now and then I also have to use my skills in the workshop. I learn everyday something new and don’t have to stick with one task day to day.”
I like that my role includes wide spread tasks.
Thorben grew up in Reken, a small village north of Cologne. After starting an industrial mechanic apprenticeship at 16, he returned to school and then completed a mechanical engineering degree (production) and a master’s degree in logistics.
He also volunteered with Germay’s SES equivalent before taking a gap year. Thorben spent time in Sydney and worked in forestry in South Australia and Western Australia before joining DEUTZ in Melbourne.
“I had to do a kind of stock take of random positions of the forest: measure areas, trees, and take wood samples,” he explains. “At least it gave me the chance to see the rural areas of Australia and all the scary animals that I never wanted to see.”
Thorben started with DEUTZ in March 2015 as a Graduate Assistant and began his current role in February 2016. He is also involved with The Association of German Engineers.
If colleagues, dealers and OEMs want to impress Thorben, they should offer him travel tips. “I’m always keen for some secret and hidden travel spots in Australia,” he says.
“As long as I live in Australia, I will try to see as much as possible. However, my next trip is planned to Germany over Christmas. I prefer the cold Christmas with family, friends, snow, mulled wine and even more food – you can’t eat too much if it’s hot.”
