From Apprentice to Manager – Modesto

From apprentice to manager – nothing unusual at nox.

Modesto was the first ex-apprentice to complete a work-study degree programme at nox. For him, it was the ticket to a management post. You can read more about his career here.

Modesto, you started out at nox as an apprentice and now you are head of Customer Implementation & Solution Development.
What made this quick advancement possible?

In August of 2001, I successfully completed my apprenticeship as a forwarding agent and stayed on as controller for the western region. To deepen my knowledge, I then went on to become the first ex-apprentice to enrol in a dual work-study programme that led to a degree in business administration (Diplom Kaufmann). The focus was on sales management and marketing & controlling. After I successfully graduated, a lot of hard work, ambition, and some stations along the way brought me to my current position as head of Customer Implementation & Solution Development.

Some of my career steps were:

• Assistant at the Regional Director in Cologne
• Junior Product Manager in Marketing
• Product Manager Reusable Boxes
• Implementation Manager
• Core project team CAT Integration/ PGG Integration

You studied Business Administration.
How did that course of studies prepare you for your career?

At a certain point, my studies were the entry ticket to management. The major in business administration and the structured way of working I had learned there made it easy to find my way in management.

You are now head of Customer Implementation & Solution Development.
What exactly does that mean?

CISD comprises three areas:

• Customer Implementation = Cross-departmental coordination and implementation
  1. Inclusion of new customers or business expansion of current customers
  2. Deactivating former customers
  3. Reviews of current customers / simulation of new customers

• Solution Development = Product management and product development

• Data Management = Provision and cleansing of master data incl. information on drop-off sites
  1. Customer data transfer and manual entry of data on customer shipments
  2. ready2nox
  3. Cleansing of address and master data pools

Would you recommend a work-study programme to others?

Definitely, if you’re willing to give up having free time for a while. One advantage was financial independence, because I was working the whole time. In addition, I was able to gain more experience in my job and immediately link it to the theoretical subjects I was learning at the university.

You have been working at nox for some time now. What do you think makes nox a good partner for practical work?

First of all, our unbeatable product Nighttime Express. Unfortunately, not enough people are aware of its added value yet, I think. I see myself as an ambassador for the brand and never tire of trying to win colleagues, family, and friends over to spread the word. And then I think I’m a good example of how hard work, ambition, and loyalty make it possible to achieve the career goal of rising ‘from apprentice to manager’ at nox.