Name: Rodrigo Knebes
Age: 26
High School: Liceo Alemán (Bolivia)
Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies
Current Position: Sales Manager at Armagedón (Bolivia)
Interview published in July 2011.
In 2004, Rodrigo began his Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies at Universidad ORT Uruguay. His first job was in 2006 at Blue Pin, a German company specializing in web hosting. He currently lives in Bolivia and is the sales manager at Armagedón, a firm focused on the production, export, and import of products primarily from Europe.
- In what year and why did you choose to study at Universidad ORT Uruguay?
- I enrolled at ORT in 2004. I was looking for a university that offered the degree program exactly as I envisioned it, and that was also located in a country where I could find the ideal conditions to settle down and study. After considering several options, I decided that Uruguay was the perfect country, and I chose to study at ORT.
- How did the idea of pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies come about?
- The idea came to me during a trip to Germany, two years before finishing high school, when I realized I needed a degree program that wouldn’t pigeonhole me into a specific activity or location. An open-ended program that would offer me countless alternatives and, in some way, have a global scope. This idea matured during my final years of high school, and once I graduated, I was clear about the degree I wanted to pursue.
- How did you find the program?
- I found the program very satisfying. Of course, as with any activity one undertakes in life, there are ups and downs and things you like more than others; however, my overall assessment is very positive.
- What do you remember from your years of study?
- Many things. Above all, the people I met and who accompanied me throughout my university experience, as well as those with whom I had occasional contact—classmates, professors, administrative staff—in short, friends who have contributed to my personal and professional growth and whom I will certainly never forget.
- In what year did you start working?
- My first job in Uruguay was in 2006 at a German company called Blue Pin, which provided web hosting and hosting services and was already well-established in Germany. My job was to negotiate the company’s services with the various entities responsible for assigning Internet domains in Latin America, as well as to translate the packages from German to Spanish.
- Where do you currently work?
- I am currently the Sales Manager at Armagedón in Bolivia. It is a multifaceted company primarily dedicated to the marketing of imported products, mainly from Europe, as well as to production and export. My responsibilities include developing and implementing sales strategies, seeking out new markets, representing the company at business roundtables, and organizing participation in international trade fairs, among other tasks.
- What are your plans for the future?
- I’m not 100% sure yet, as I’m currently in a year where I’m evaluating growth opportunities within Bolivia as well as the political and social situation the country is going through. Right now, I’m trying to reach my own conclusions about whether I want to continue my career in Bolivia, return to Uruguay—a country I love—or explore other options. I want to complete my internship so I can finally graduate, and then I’ll see what opportunities arise.