Could you introduce yourself?
“My name is Henrik Reineke, I am 23. I graduated last year, so I am from the class of 2023.”
Which tracks did you take?
“I took the politics and economics track.”
What did you do in your fifth semester (internship/study abroad)?
“I went abroad to the Korea University in Seoul.”
What are you currently doing (studying/working), and where?
“I am currently in the last weeks of a “practical year”. After graduating from PPE last summer I decided not to continue my studies right away, but to take a year off to get some professional experience before continuing with my master's. And so I did two six month internships, one at the German Development Corporation (GIZ) and one at Mercedes Benz, both centred around geopolitics and issues of international trade.”
How did PPE affect your choice to be studying/working where you are?
“Well, like most PPE students, I chose the degree back then because of its interdisciplinarity, and so it was very important for me to do something that reflected that. When I started applying for internships, I was mostly looking for organisations that were in the intersection of politics and economics, and I'm very grateful that I was able to experience that intersection from both a public and a private sector perspective.”
What advice would you give to yourself when you were in PPE?
“It's only been one year so far, so it's a bit hard for me to answer that one. I think throughout the last year I've definitely learned how many rejection emails are behind every single proud LinkedIn post of which we see so many in the PPE community. I think it's very important to keep that in mind when applying to jobs or master’s degrees so as not to get too frustrated throughout the process.”
Are there any resources or opportunities that you found particularly helpful, both in PPE and after, that you would like to share?
“In my opinion, PPE is really made by its people. I can't express enough how precious this community of inspiring and ambitious people really is. There were so many times when I asked former graduates or judos or professors for advice on certain questions, and every single time, the people were incredibly supportive. Most of what I'm doing today is probably influenced by what I learned from other people on the fourth floor and I would really advise anyone to make the most of this opportunity.”
What are your plans for the future?
“In September I will start my master’s degree in International Political Economy in London (LSE), which I am very much looking forward to. After that I would like to move to Berlin and find a job there, but nothing is set in stone yet.”