by Dorina Beck

How It All Started

Parallel to beginning my Master’s degree in “Psychology (Research)” in Hamburg, I started working as a student assistant at BSL Transportation Consultants (BSL).

As part of my Master’s program in psychology, specializing in organizational and occupational psychology, I engage intensively with human experience and behavior in the workplace. I regularly work with quantitative methods as well as data and statistical analyses, which has helped me develop an analytical approach to complex questions. To complement my theoretical knowledge with practical experience, I decided early on to pursue a position as a student assistant.

In addition to my professional interest in psychological questions, I also bring a pronounced curiosity about economic relationships. In particular, the topics of mobility and sustainability are part of my everyday life and shape my interest in forward-looking developments.

At BSL, I have the opportunity to combine these interests and continue developing my knowledge in a practice-oriented environment.

Work Environment and Framework

On my very first day of work, I received my own laptop and was warmly welcomed by the team. As part of the onboarding process, I also met my mentor, who accompanied me throughout the entire onboarding journey.

After a short time, I already had my own tasks and was able to quickly immerse myself in the daily work routine and integrate into the team.

The work approach at BSL is characterized by a high degree of flexibility, which made it very easy for me to integrate my work with my studies. Initially, I could flexibly specify my working days and hours, but I could also adjust them easily after a simple discussion—either in the short term during exam periods or semester breaks, or in the long term when I had a new schedule in the new semester. I particularly appreciate the balanced mix of office work and home office, which allows me to work concentratedly while maintaining personal contact with colleagues. I especially enjoy the time in the office, as direct contact with colleagues fosters both professional and personal exchange, which made my start particularly easy.

I regularly take the opportunity to participate in internal training sessions. During these sessions, special projects, internal topics, or current developments in the transportation market are presented and discussed.

Content and Projects

My work as a student assistant at BSL is very diverse: through different projects, I continuously gain new insights and can tackle new challenges.

One specific project I supported involved demand and revenue forecasting as part of a tender process for regional rail passenger services (SPNV). The goal of the project was to forecast the future development of demand and the resulting revenues for our client, taking into account various influencing factors. At the same time, we demonstrated how different parameters—such as population development, commuting patterns, and tourism activities—affect passenger volumes. My responsibilities included, for example, researching the data foundation. This data was then quantified and incorporated into a forecasting tool.

Through this project, I was able to apply my methodological skills in data research and analysis, and significantly expanded my knowledge.

Additionally, I regularly participate in internal company projects and support the team wherever I can. I continuously help keep our knowledge management up to date, make articles more understandable, and incorporate new information. I also assist in researching and selecting internal tools that further ease our daily work and help automate processes.

What I’ve Gained

Overall, I genuinely enjoy working at BSL, and it’s been an excellent addition to my studies. What really stands out for me is the variety of tasks—and the chance to continuously learn new things and push myself further.

I have already gained many insights into project planning and implementation, and learned a great deal from the experience. Through analyzing data in a business context, I have developed solid knowledge in MS Excel and am able to confidently apply complex functions as well as create structured analyses and clear visualizations.

Team collaboration is a particularly positive aspect of my work. It is characterized by open and appreciative exchange. Furthermore, flexible working hours provide a high degree of autonomy and enable good compatibility with my studies. The central location of the office also contributes to making my daily work overall very comfortable, and I always enjoy coming to the office.

Currently, I’m completing a semester abroad and soaking up valuable international experience. I’m really looking forward to continuing my work at BSL afterward—bringing my knowledge to the table and discovering what else I can learn there.

03. August 2026