How to get an internship at BMW: Tolgonai Nasipbek kyzy's experience

From the small city of Talas in Kyrgyzstan to an internship at BMW in Munich. Tolgonai Nasipbek kyzy is a master’s student in Data Science and Business Informatics. Before this, she studied in the US through the FLEX program, received an education in Italy and Switzerland, and completed an internship at a European IT company. In an interview with The Tech, she shared how she received an offer from BMW and what can increase one’s chances of building a career in international companies.

Tolgonai Nasipbek kyzy, City: Munich, Data Engineering Intern at BMW, Instagram, LinkedIn

About Me

I am from Talas, a small city in Kyrgyzstan. I attended a regular school until middle school, and then enrolled in the Turkish lyceum “Sapat.” I entered the lyceum under preferential conditions, having taken second place in the regional mathematics olympiad. After completing the 11th grade, I went to the US to study through the FLEX program. Upon returning, I enrolled in a bachelor’s program in Italy under a scholarship program.

I have always been interested in mathematics and received support from my family in this pursuit. Initially, I considered majoring in Computer Science, but ultimately chose the University of Pisa due to more favorable study conditions, a high scholarship, and the city itself.

During my bachelor’s studies, I majored in Management for Business and Economics. After graduating from university, I decided to return to IT and enrolled in a master’s program in Data Science and Business Informatics, where I am currently completing my studies. The master’s program included a large number of technical disciplines: databases, Python programming, and other fundamental courses. Later, mandatory courses on machine learning and mathematical disciplines, including optimization, were added to the curriculum.

In the second year of my master’s program, I received a grant to study abroad in Switzerland. Only three students won this grant, and I was one of them. There, I became a teaching assistant for a professor in the field of Natural Language Processing—an area that forms the basis of modern language models and is responsible for processing and understanding human language.

Alongside my studies, I assisted the professor, and at the end of the second semester, I secured an internship in Switzerland at the IT consulting company ADESO Group. As far as I know, I became the first intern and employee of the company without a European passport, as well as the only woman from Central Asia. The company supported me and helped with the necessary documentation. The German group had opened an office in Switzerland relatively recently and collaborates with major clients, including UBS, providing IT consulting, application development, and implementing technological projects for large organizations.

At the same time, I went through the selection process for BMW and ultimately received a position as a Data Engineer in the Supply Chain division. The work involves analyzing large volumes of data related to material deliveries and supply chain management. Currently, I am interning at BMW in Munich. My current role at BMW is in Data Engineering, which is closely related to Data Science. Our team works on various areas—from Data Engineering, where I am responsible for the Data Pipeline, to Agentic AI.

The Application Process

I applied for the internship at BMW through the company’s official website—I found the section for intern vacancies and submitted my application.

Once, a Kyrgyzstani man named Bakay Bager shared in an interview with the YouTube channel “Kyrgyzstan Online” how he went through the selection process at BMW, which positions he applied for, and what helped him get the job. Today, he is successfully building his career at the company. It was after this interview that I decided to try as well.

By that time, I already had technical knowledge, so I independently found four internship opportunities and applied to all of them. In the end, I passed two interviews for the position I am currently working in and received an offer.

The process itself was quick, although it all depends on the team. In my case, the first interview took place in the first week, the second in the following week, and shortly after that, I received the offer. Usually, the hiring process can take several months and include up to five stages.

The first interview focused on personal qualities and how well the candidate fits the team. The second was technical: I was asked questions about Data Science, given a case study to solve, and assigned a small coding task.

Some questions were unusual. For example: “How many BMW cars are there in Kyrgyzstan?” The correct answer is not important here; what matters is the logic of reasoning. You need to show how you arrive at an estimate based on facts and assumptions.

Another popular question is: “What three words would your friends use to describe you?” It is important not just to name qualities but to confirm them with specific examples from life. If you say you are responsible, it is important to provide a situation where this quality was demonstrated. Any quality you mention must be supported by real examples.

Requirements depend on the specific position. In my case, the mandatory condition was to be a student, as the program is designed for candidates without work experience. Knowledge of Python, SQL, and Data Science was also required—courses corresponding to these areas I had already taken during my master’s studies.

Requirements may differ for other areas. For example, for non-technical roles, knowledge of German is often necessary. I started learning it recently, but for my technical position, English was sufficient.

I did not have a mentor to help me through the selection process. The main source of inspiration was Bakay Bager’s interview. I found the vacancies myself, submitted applications independently, and went through the entire selection process. After moving, I wrote to Bakay, and we met in person. I think many people are willing to help, so finding a mentor is quite realistic.

How to Increase Your Chances of an Internship at an International Company

It is best to look for vacancies on companies’ official websites rather than through third-party services. That is where the most up-to-date offers are published. When searching for an internship, I objectively assessed my experience and applied only to positions that I matched more or less. Of course, you can apply to everything, but it is inefficient. It is better to assess your knowledge realistically and choose vacancies consciously.

Data Science is a broad field that includes machine learning and other areas. Many skills can be mastered during work, but it is important to understand in which direction you want to develop. For students of mathematics, statistics, and physics, the choice is usually wider due to strong fundamental training.

BMW was a conscious choice for me. After an interview with one of the employees, I realized that I wanted to work specifically in a large international company. I think there is no need to be afraid to apply to such corporations—it is much more important to constantly develop your knowledge and try new things.

Special attention should be paid to the resume. Each country has its own formatting standards, so it is worth studying local requirements before applying. In addition, in many companies, resumes are first checked by ATS systems, so complex formatting, such as in two columns, may lead to incorrect parsing of information.

At the same time, it is important to honestly describe your experience and present it properly. AI can help improve wording or format bullet points, but you should not rely on it completely. Companies are already good at recognizing typical AI phrases, so the text should definitely be edited.

I did not have cover letters, but if there is an opportunity, I advise writing them—they can really increase your chances of getting an invitation.

It is no less important to pay attention to details. Even a small error in a resume or cover letter can lead to rejection. Documents must correspond to the specific vacancy: if you are applying for a Data Scientist position but write in your letter that you dream of becoming a business analyst, it immediately creates a negative impression. Job hunting itself becomes a full-time job, so each application should be carefully adapted.

I also advise using one email for all professional contacts and ensuring that the information in your resume matches your LinkedIn profile.

If we talk about qualities valued at BMW, these are proactivity, honesty, openness, and a willingness to constantly learn. It is important not only to complete tasks but also to show initiative, ask questions, and propose ideas.

In addition, hackathons, open-source projects, research, and previous internships are of great importance. In my case, my previous work experience, teaching activity, and a scientific article we prepared together with the professor helped.

The main thing is to always honestly talk about your experience and confirm it with your LinkedIn profile. If hackathons, certificates, or other achievements are listed in your resume, they must also be reflected in your profile. Consistency and accuracy of information always work in the candidate’s favor.

Advice

Much depends on how well you prepare your resume and go through the interview. I revised my resume many times, showed it to other people, and asked for feedback.

The university in Switzerland provided significant help, where career days were regularly held. Company representatives checked resumes, gave recommendations, and only after that did I apply for internships.

There are also services in Central Asian countries that help improve resumes. In addition, you can write to a person on LinkedIn who already works in the position you are interested in and ask for advice. A resume is a document that should be constantly improved.

It is quite realistic to get an internship without commercial experience. If you have had university projects, volunteering, or unpaid internships, be sure to list them. It is important to show that you know how to apply knowledge in practice.

The main value of an internship is real work experience in an international company. I was lucky with my team: managers and mentors help me develop, take my interests into account, and give me the opportunity to participate in various projects.

Work is very different from studying. At university, you are usually given ready-made data, whereas in a company, you have to solve real problems, work with complex databases, and find solutions to non-standard issues. It is only then that you gain a true understanding of the profession.

I moved from Switzerland to Germany for this internship. I have now been working at BMW for almost five months and am simultaneously completing my master’s degree. For many such programs, student status remains a mandatory condition.

My main advice is not to give up. Behind every successful offer, there are usually dozens of rejections. Keep learning, improve your resume, use all opportunities, and do not be afraid to ask for advice from those who have already gone this path. Support from family and surroundings is no less important—they help you move forward and not lose motivation.