From intern to team lead: “You have to actively seek out opportunities!”
You can't always plan your career — but you can actively shape it. Robert Jorras's journey at Jungheinrich shows how curiosity, initiative, and the courage to take on new challenges turned an internship into a leadership career.
The key insights
- From an internship to a leadership role: Robert Jorra started out in change management at Jungheinrich and now leads his own team as Head of HR Administration & Support.
- Growth requires initiative: taking responsibility, trying new things, and stepping outside one’s comfort zone were crucial to his career path.
- Trust and collaboration as keys to success: Managers, colleagues, and hands-on experience have played a decisive role in shaping Robert’s development at Jungheinrich.
When Robert Jorra started at Jungheinrich, a career in management wasn't yet a specific goal. As an intern in change management, his primary goal was to get to know the company and gain practical experience. Today, several years later, as Head of HR Administration & Support, he leads his own team and helps shape key HR processes.
It wasn't one big career leap that led to this. Rather, it was a variety of tasks, new challenges, and — time and again — the decision to take on responsibility and try something new.
Taking on responsibility and growing from it
Even during his internship, Robert had the opportunity to take on his own responsibilities, gain familiarity with various HR departments, and build a professional network within the company. After his internship, he stayed at Jungheinrich and moved to the operational HR department. As an HR Business Partner for Process Management, he deepened his knowledge of processes, projects, and their continuous improvement.
Robert has held a leadership position for just under two years. Together with his team, he is now further developing HR processes and overseeing changes that affect many employees at Jungheinrich.
“Actually, I’ve been involved in change processes throughout my entire time at Jungheinrich. Every role has brought new challenges — and that’s exactly what keeps my journey exciting to this day,” says Robert. “If you show commitment and are willing to take on responsibility, Jungheinrich offers plenty of opportunities. But you shouldn’t just wait for them to come to you. You have to actively seek them out.”
Step out of your comfort zone
That one defining moment in his career? For Robert, there wasn't one. What was much more important to him was his willingness to take on new challenges time and again and to consciously engage with topics that initially lay outside the scope of his own experience.
He didn't have to go it alone. Managers played an important role by placing their trust in him and believing he could grow into new responsibilities.
His personal recipe for success is therefore less complicated than it might sound: stay curious, take the initiative — and keep stepping out of your comfort zone.
“You learn the most when you try things out. That also means that things don’t always work out right away. But that’s often where the most valuable experiences come from.”
Why practical experience makes all the difference
Professional development opportunities and training programs have been part of Robert's growth. However, it was the experiences he gained in his day-to-day work that had the greatest impact on him.
Taking on new responsibilities, driving projects forward, making decisions, accepting feedback, and developing solutions together — all of this has helped him grow both professionally and personally. Above all, working on topics such as digitalization, process optimization, and collaboration has repeatedly opened up new perspectives for him.
“Theory is important. But there’s no substitute for practical experience. For me, it was crucial to be able to take on responsibility early on and try things out for myself.”
This openness to new challenges and continuous change shapes more than just Robert’s personal journey. It is also crucial to Jungheinrich’s ongoing development: The 2030+ Strategy thrives on employees taking on responsibility, questioning existing solutions, and actively shaping change.
People make the difference
So when Robert looks back on his career today, he thinks of more than just the positions he’s held or the projects he’s worked on. Above all, he thinks of the people who have been by his side: leaders who have placed their trust in him, colleagues from whom he has been able to learn — and his current team, with whom he tackles new challenges together.
For him, this collaboration is an essential part of Jungheinrich's culture.
“Jungheinrich offers many opportunities to get involved, grow professionally, and build long-term prospects. And working with my colleagues is just plain fun.”
Opportunities don't just happen on their own
Today, Robert is proud of what he has achieved together with others: successful projects, processes that work better than before, and changes that employees can feel in their day-to-day work. He finds it particularly motivating to be able to support people in their development and entrust them with responsibility.
What advice would he give to students, interns, and those just starting their careers?
“Be curious, ask questions, and get involved. Gain practical experience as early as possible, take on responsibility, and seize the opportunities that come your way. The best opportunities often arise when you’re willing to go the extra mile.”
