Meet William | Roche

My name is William Zheng and I study Business Administration-Industry at Roche in Mannheim and at the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (class of 2020).

My way to Roche

Towards the end of high school, I was faced with the choice between a dual study program and a regular university study program. The dual study program convinced me because, on the one hand, the study program is very practice-oriented and, on the other hand, the practical phases enable me to gain my first professional experience. The choice of the partner company fell on Roche, because I could immediately identify with the corporate philosophy "Doing now what patients need next. Knowing that I am making an important contribution to healthcare through my work makes me proud to be a part of Roche.

Our culture

Diversity and inclusion are the foundations of Roche's corporate culture. People are always in the foreground. My colleagues are characterized by different facets, views, lifestyles and ideas about the future. This diversity and family atmosphere in the departments has inspired me since my first day at Roche. Despite the many different departments and the size of the Group, everyone always treats each other as equals. Regular feedback sessions with my trainer/supervisor allow me to develop both personally and professionally.

Onboarding in times of a pandemic

For trainees and students, onboarding traditionally takes place during an introductory week in Mainz. During this week, the trainees have the opportunity to exchange ideas with the other professional groups and get to know the company better. However, the current situation called for a rethink. Thus, most of the onboarding took place in the home office. All trainees and students were provided with the necessary equipment to be able to work and learn on the move. The unfamiliar working environment initially presented a challenge, as personal contact with colleagues was lacking. However, we all proved that we could work and learn regardless of location. The flexitime arrangement as well as the trust on the part of Roche creates the possibility for me to flexibly organize my working day.

The first practical phase

In my first practical phase, I was assigned to Marketing & Product Management in Laboratory Diagnostics. Right at the beginning, I took over an exciting project, which I was allowed to work on independently during my entire practical phase and beyond. Due to the fact that Roche offers personalized training, my interests and strengths were also individually addressed in my case. My expertise in design and web development turned out to be useful know-how for the department. The highlight of my practical phase was leading regular meetings with our colleagues from Singapore. I didn't expect to be given so much responsibility at the beginning of my studies, but it motivated me all the more to lead the project to its goal.