What happens after school and which profession suits me?
These are the questions many young people face at the end of their school years. In order to give students insights into different professions, the Röchling Industrial Lützen SE & Co. KG now cooperates with the Freie Gesamtschule Gustav Adolf. The company is part of the Industrial division of the international Röchling Group, which is a global leader in the manufacture of engineering plastics for industrial applications. Röchling Industrial Lützen specializes in the machining of CNC turning and milling components made of thermoplastic and duroplastic materials. In a cooperation agreement, the collaboration was recorded. First projects within the cooperation have already started.
"Especially in the areas of mathematics and physics, we support the teachers with practical examples and offer the young people the opportunity for internships and vacation jobs. We also work together to develop projects that give students an understanding of different occupational areas," explains Dirk Galler, managing director of Röchling Industrial Lützen SE & Co. KG. "We know that getting to know different professions and gaining practical experience are important for young people when deciding on a career. An apprenticeship - whether in the industrial or commercial sector - offers numerous potentials. Especially in an internationally positioned company like ours - that's what we want to show the young talents," says Galler.
A first project within the framework of the cooperation has already started. Ten Sphero Bolts® are being provided to the school by Röchling Industrial Lützen. The app-enabled robot ball can be programmed by the students themselves via a tablet. "The commands are converted into motion sequences by the ball. This is technically similar to the CNC programs used at our company to control milling machines," Galler explains. The learning robots are used in the subjects of mathematics, computer science and physics.
"The Sphero Bolt introduces students to the logic of control programs. With increasing automation and digitalization, we will need more skilled workers in the future. Therefore, knowledge in the field of programming is basically an advantage for the young people," Galler reports. "In particular, we would like to introduce girls to this area and awaken their interest in computer science and technology."