Companies in the region are increasingly struggling with the growing shortage of skilled workers. However, Hof University of Applied Sciences – the “Most popular university in Germany in 2023 and 2024” according to the studycheck.de portal – offers an educational pathway with its modular Bachelor’s degree course in engineering that can not only help the region’s “hidden champions” to recruit the next generation of engineers. A group from the Marktredwitz-Wunsiedel state vocational school found out more about this on site.
The pupils were given the opportunity to complete a day as a trial internship at Hof University of Applied Sciences – without any prior knowledge. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Valentin Plenk, Vice President for Research and Development at Hof University of Applied Sciences, Melanie Fiedler-Zapf from Student Recruiting and laboratory employee Jürgen Rubitzko offered the group of visitors a varied and exciting day.
Practical and theoretical part
The program consisted of a technical problem – which fascinated the participants so much that they even voluntarily gave up their breaks – and a small informative part. The short practical alternated between theoretical input from Prof. Plenk and phases in which the students were able to upgrade an outdated machine themselves by replacing the outdated option of operating the machine using buttons on the machine with their own smartphone.
In the informative part, the possibilities of the modular engineering course at Hof University of Applied Sciences were explained and tailored precisely to the potential students of tomorrow with the individual course generator .
By studying engineering at our university, you will prepare yourself for new challenges and combine Industry 4.0 topics and technical processes in digitalized production with forward-looking issues such as sustainability, innovative materials and electrical engineering. This is not only exciting, but a truly forward-looking and highly attractive education.”
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Valentin Plenk
