Jürgen Autenrieth studied Nutritional Management and Dietetics at the University of Hohenheim after having worked in the hotel industry for 24 years. Today, he works at the Olympic Training Center in Stuttgart and is responsible for nutrition consulting for the athletes.
His Tips
Read the module catalog and descriptions very thoroughly.
Inform yourself about what you can do with your studies later - and think about whether that suits you.
Participate in the Humboldt reloaded projects and other offers by the University - in part so you can get to know people.
Do internships to get to know professional fields and the companies.
Dietician Olympic Training Center Stuttgart
Studies at the University of Hohenheim 2014-2018
Nutritional Management and Dietetics B.Sc.
Job
What are typical activities for you in your job?
Essentially, I have three areas of responsibility. The first is my office hours, which I have once a week or by appointment. There, I get a nutrition log from the athletes. I evaluate it and we talk about possibilities for optimizing it. The second area is communication. For example, we have a “nutrition topic of the month” that we inform athletes about. The third and final area is workshops about nutrition for specific sports.
When did you decide on your career?
While I was studying. Originally I worked in the hotel industry for 24 years. For me, my studies were a chance to deepen my knowledge of nutrition and gain new insights. That was my goal when I started studying - I didn’t have a specific career in mind. That developed during my internship at the Olympic Training Center in Stuttgart. I liked it right from the start.
“The focus during my Bachelor’s was on gaining knowledge.”
Studies
What were your studies like?
The basic study period is the same for all students. I also took part in two Humboldt reloaded projects in which you look in-depth at a research topic. One of the projects was also the inspiration for my Bachelor’s thesis. Besides that, I enjoyed my internship at the Olympic Training Center in Stuttgart so much that I took two modules at the German Sport University Cologne that were counted toward my degree in Hohenheim.
“The inspiration for my Bachelor’s thesis came from a Humboldt reloaded project.”
What surprises and challenges were there during your studies?
You might have thought I would have a hard time being a student after I had already worked for so long. But it turned out very well. I was at the University of Hohenheim’s informational events, and because I worked with the vocational students in the hotel, I got along well with the younger students. What was challenging was the speed: At first I had to re-learn how to study.
But we always helped each other out, and I am still in contact with several classmates.
“Even though I was a few years older, I made good contacts with my fellow students.”
When I think back on my studies in Hohenheim, I think of...
...a time at a wonderful campus full of tradition. A time that I wouldn’t want to have missed and that helped me take a big step forward.
