With a background in Economics, Bleis Koni proved to BASF-Nunhems that he came from Albania to make an impact in the agribusiness sector. His experience as Marketing Manager for Agro Koni and all the knowledge he acquired during 11 months in MIAM, led him to a future job opportunity in this Seedhouse.
Where did you do your internship?
I did my internship at the marketing department of BASF-Nunhems, which is a Seedhouse. Their main HQ is in the city of Nunhem in the Netherlands and they are part of BASF group, which is a big player not only in agribusiness but also in other industries related to chemicals.
BASF is more independent than the other branches because of the nature of the company. Noteworthy is their product, Sandia Fashion, which is a famous brand not only in Spain but also in the EU.
Was the knowledge acquired in the master’s useful for it?
The knowledge I got in MIAM alongside the knowledge I got from working in the family business, Agro Koni, (@agrokoni on Instagram or Agro Koni on Facebook and LinkedIn) helped a lot in my internship.
The subjects which helped me the most were marketing and negotiations, as these helped me understand the job position better. Also, as the lecturers are specialists in their fields they taught us with real examples, providing us with an amazing opportunity.
Personally, the subjects of strategy, operations, design thinking, and digitalization, alongside the company visits, offered me the opportunity of increasing my critical thinking and of becoming a better manager.
Explain what you learned in the company that you didn’t know before.
In this internship, I could learn about market segmentation and how to analyze the data to make a good segmentation of the customers. At this point, elaborating market research regarding the competition as an assignment was very useful because there I learned that Spanish agricultural companies use different ways to communicate.
Was the language a barrier for your internship?
In one year in Spain, I felt that my Spanish was sufficient to participate in a friendly conversation, but it wasn’t adequate for a business one. Luckily, BASF is an international company, and most of my colleagues spoke English. However, this didn’t stop me to practice my Spanish.
Tell us an example of something you did in your internship that proved your talent to the company.
Is the company offering you an extension of the internship or a contract?
In the long-term, I plan to continue working at Agro Koni, but BASF offered me the possibility of discussing a full-time contract in January 2023.
Are you planning to stay in Spain or move back to your country? Why?
If the possibility arises, I would like to stay in Spain for 1-2 years to get international office experience, but the plan is to come back to Albania.
Do you think the mandatory internship is relevant in MIAM?
Absolutely yes! It prepares us for the job-hunting period after our studies.
Explain how you feel about the internship and the master’s in general. Would you recommend the experience?
This master’s gave me what I expected from a master of this nature, a mix of academia and profession. I feel that I made a good choice enrolling in it. I think that this master’s is perfect for those individuals who are part of the agri-world or want to be part of it. The only thing you need to bring is the desire to be the best and to make a change.
