I’m Daniel Calvert and I joined the adidas Group in March of 2012, as a Business Analyst in Global IT as part of the IT Campus Program. Let me take you on my journey, of how a lad from Scotland ends up in the small village of Herzogenaurach working for a global sportswear brand and the largest sportswear retailer.

The Passion

Prior to joining the adidas Group, I had been working at a business school in the Netherlands, where I had shortly before completed my Masters in Business Administration. However, this was never likely to be my future, as I lacked the desire and passion in this area. It is precisely the latter which drove me towards adidas: a passion for sports. This is a common topic that has been overwhelmingly apparent throughout the recruitment and assessment and in the day-to-day work. From day one of my initial application, right throughout the stages of recruitment and the final assessment center, the one point that I felt everyone involved had in common was this mutual passion. Passion for sports, passion for the adidas Group brands, passion for the job – all passion.

The Move

The day I verbally accepted the offer from the adidas Group is one that I remember vividly. The recruitment, while positive, had taken some time. What I felt was somewhere between relief, elation and happiness – though this was swiftly replaced by the need to relocate, and relocate quickly. This is where you see the structure and experience of the adidas Group HRHuman Resources (HR), is the organisation within the adidas Group which is responsible for the management of our workforce. Responsibilities include attracting, selecting, training, assessing and rewarding employees as well as fostering a corporate culture of performance, passion, integrity and diversity. Team shine through. With the assigning of a professional relocation consultant and the completion of formalities the move came about very quickly, and without any real stress. Throughout the first month, I stayed in a hotel, and before you know it I’m living in a newly furnished apartment in the grand city of Nuremberg, have bought a car and joined a rugby club.

The Fun

B2RUN Company Run in Nuremberg

With everything outside of the office taken care of, the fun could begin! Onboarding was a real treat. Besides the to-be-expected presentations from the different departments, the opportunity to meet with Senior Management and have lunch with Jan Brecht, CIO, was a great start. Then the real work began, getting to know new colleagues and gradually assuming responsibilities. This is one area that had really excited me. Working in Group Data Management, there always seems to be plenty to do and this gradual gathering of responsibilities that are new or challenging has yet to cease. In my day-to-day work I have a number of central areas that I deal with, such as test management, cutover planning and methodology creation. In addition, there are always discussions and topics ongoing that can be contributed to, and the more I become familiar with the job and gather knowledge, the more capable I become. At Global IT there are also opportunities beyond departments where, for example, I manage a project on realizing seating efficiency at our Herzo GIT locations. Finally, there are the IT Campus related items on the calendar. These include trainings, monthly meetings and a self-defined, fully funded innovation project. Though more than just colleagues, the IT Campus participants are in a way a ready-made group of friends, as we are all alike in many senses and are each going through a similar journey as we aim to launch our careers at the adidas Group.

The Family Experience

Looking back on the past six months, I reflect on what has been a wholesomely awesome experience. The people I have met at work, in sports and socially have been great. The process of meeting people is one that is simplified by working for adidas. Given the close relationship between adidas and the surrounding area, there is a clear association with the community, whereby most people either work for or are directly or indirectly connected to someone within the Group or, as I have heard it referred to, the ‘Family’.