Nora Hayrapetyan is studying at the University of Erfurt Global Communication, Politics and Society and is currently completing a 3-month internship with the Thuringia International team. We would like to take this opportunity to share her expertise and give you a closer look at the Armenian market in the following interview.
Hello Nora, first of all, welcome to the Thuringia International team. What economic cooperation opportunities do you see between Thuringia and Armenia?
Currently, economic Contact are largely limited to individual trade relationships: The LEG company database lists only a few Thuringian companies that export goods to or import goods from Armenia. However, this starting point does not preclude further forms of cooperation; quite the contrary. I am convinced that existing, hitherto rather sporadic, economic relations between Thuringia and Armenia can be strategically developed further. From my perspective, opportunities arise particularly where Thuringia's technological strengths can be combined with Armenia's development needs: Thuringia possesses proven expertise in the fields of optics and photonics, microelectronics, sensor technology, artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, dual vocational training, and technology networking – all areas that meet with growing interest and structural demand in Armenia.
From these considerations, several concrete cooperation perspectives can be derived, in my view: These include, in particular, cooperation in education and skilled worker programs, for example in the form of dual training programs, structured exchange formats, or so-called train-the-trainer approaches. Furthermore, innovation and start-up collaborations between Armenian technology parks and Thuringian innovation centers offer potential for jointly advancing technological developments. I can also easily envision formats in which Armenian and Thuringian companies from the aforementioned sectors meet directly and explore potential collaborations. This would be an important first step for future joint projects and long-term cooperation. In addition, there is potential for cooperation where Armenia could serve as a development and technology hub for Thuringian companies. One example would be collaboration in the IT and software sector: Thuringian companies could develop innovative software solutions together with Armenian start-ups or enter into outsourcing partnerships for programming and development projects.
Overall, my perspective is deliberately optimistic: not despite, but precisely because of Armenia's manageable market size, I see considerable potential for specialized, knowledge-based and long-term economic relationships.
What are your plans after graduation?
A question that probably all international students are asked multiple times. And every time, this question puts me in an internal dilemma: Should I build my professional future in my home country or continue my path in Germany?
But recently, after I started working in Germany, I realized that this question might not be the right one for me at all. It's not just about a country – even though I could long imagine returning to my homeland – but rather about the work environment and the business culture in which I want to develop professionally.
Of course, building a Career in a foreign culture and language is by no means easy, especially when the work culture differs significantly in key aspects. Nevertheless, such challenges can be overcome with time, a willingness to learn, and a long-term perspective, and can enable sustainable professional development.
Therefore, I would phrase my question differently: Is it about returning to my home country and starting over there? Or is it rather about further developing my potential here in Germany and learning from professional structures and experienced specialists? I am aware that professionalism is by no means limited to specific countries: I could also benefit from my German training in Armenia. Nevertheless, the available resources in my home country are significantly more limited, so there are only a few job opportunities that match my training and my long-term career profile.
My internship at LEG not only opened up new career prospects in Germany, but also provided me with an interesting and future-oriented perspective on development opportunities in my home country. I am convinced that sustainable changes in working methods and ways of thinking begin where respectful relationships are cultivated and professional, collaborative business relationships are established with countries like Germany.
Ultimately, my initial question of whether or not to stay in Germany is no longer a simple either-or decision. My career path in Germany doesn't mean distancing myself from my homeland, but rather offers me the opportunity to develop skills that I can also contribute in Armenia in the long term. This is the key takeaway from my internship.
Thank you very much for the conversation and all the best for the future
