Jorge Rodriguez

: In 2006, I started my apprenticeship as an E-profile commercial clerk at Planzer’s headquarters in Dietikon. I had been looking over the shoulders of the Planzer professionals for a week before applying for an apprenticeship position. I was certain that vocational training would open every door for me later on.

During my three-year apprenticeship, I gained insight into a number of different departments: Accounting, Marketing, Dispatch, Warehouse Logistics, Human Resources. In the summer of 2009, shortly before the final apprenticeship examination, I got the chance to choose my favourite, and my supervisors approved my choice.

Yes, because I didn’t just want a job, I wanted to do my baccalaureate alongside working. So I joined the Support Logistics team with a workload of 0.6 FTE. I spent the rest of the time on school and studies, putting leisure time off until later. My tasks in Dietikon included working in the back office to support the branch offices. My work was clearly structured, precise and easy to plan. That suited me very well.

In June 2011, I successfully completed my Vocational Baccalaureate. Just a few months later, I asked my supervisor if I could add four more years of school so I could complete a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics. In September 2011, I started the course at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland in Brugg while continuing with my part-time work in Support Logistics at Planzer. There, I helped open new sites and integrate clients into the warehouse logistics of Planzer’s own locations. Over the next four years, I gained experience, specialist knowledge and valuable contacts.

Yes, of course. In 2014, the group-wide head of Warehouse Logistics offered me the position of Head of Administration at Planzer in Villmergen. I was just 23 years old at the time and in the midst of studying for a bachelor’s degree. I saw the offer as an excellent opportunity – and accepted. In May 2014, I took on my new management responsibility in the back office. I managed five people and was responsible for order management for multinationals like Mars, Mondelez and Unilever. The work was both exciting and demanding. After all, I still had my further education and the upcoming bachelor’s thesis to focus on. I had many one-on-one conversations and combined my experience from logistics administration with my connection to the team. The Branch Director at Villmergen gave me his full confidence, and that was the greatest reward of all for me.

I wanted satisfied customers, quick answers, expert solutions, lean and increasingly automated processes. But above all, I wanted us to be a powerful team. We were able to achieve all this in two and a half years. The more I valued the team and took feedback seriously, the more we achieved. A lot can be done with praise.

In the autumn of 2016, the Operations Manager at Villmergen had resigned and the Branch Director wanted to fill the position internally. So one fine Friday evening he stood in my office and said: ‘Time to go for Operations Manager.’ And in January 2017, I took over the role of Operations Manager. I was responsible for smooth warehouse logistics operations for around 120 clients, leading a crew of 12 team leaders shoulder to shoulder with my counterpart. Fortunately, he knew most of the warehouse logistics employees from his previous job in Villmergen.

As my role grew, so did my respect for it. I was, after all, managing even more people now. Managing, organising, planning and costs became the focus of my daily work. All this was fully measurable. In this position, I once again had numerous personal discussions, expressed my expectations, conveyed my values and aimed for new targets. This job dealt with the physical integration of new clients, discussions with customers, all while describing and documenting processes. Here, I got to keep track of customers, my team and the figures. I shared resources, exploited synergies, managed my team members, made the best possible use of strengths, and took care of holiday planning and substitutes. My working hours were long as a result.

A good year later, I decided to take the next step in my education. I signed up for the Master of Business Administration, and I was lucky enough to be able to count on the support of my superiors. I switched back to Support Logistics in Dietikon as Project Manager for Logistics with a workload of 1.0 FTE. Here, I was the link between IT and operational functions. I supported logistics integrations and the lining of electronic interfaces. But there was a change – I was no longer managing people. Instead, I was back at school on Fridays and Saturdays, at the expense of holidays, family and free time. I was at school for eight of the last 10 years.

Amazingly well. I became a father to little Emilio in mid-July 2019. My biggest challenge was reconciling work, school and a young family – with just 24 hours in each day. Classes ended in October 2020 and my master’s thesis had to be completed by April 2021. That gave me time to take a breath and find my bearings.

On 1 January 2021, the management of the Planzer Group promoted me to the position of Logistics Coach for the regions of eastern Switzerland and Härkingen. This saw me become the youngest Logistics Coach in the company’s long history. My predecessor and boss took over the vacant management position as Head of Warehouse Logistics.

Thriving, if you look at the current development of e-commerce. Large corporations are increasingly concentrating on their core competencies and outsourcing warehouse logistics. That’s where Planzer comes in.

I appreciate the family atmosphere and the down-to-earth attitude that Planzer has maintained despite its rapid growth in recent years. It’s a respectful, sustainable family company. Planzer gives you good opportunities for getting ahead.

For me, promoting the next generation is fundamental. We have to position ourselves so we are at the forefront with young people, regardless of the division.