24.07.2018
Experience Mechanical Engineering: a different kind of lesson
In early July 2018, more than 50 companies in North Rhine-Westphalia opened their factory gates to provide an insight into job opportunities in the mechanical engineering industry as part of the “Experience Mechanical Engineering” initiative.

Insights into the World of Employment
Vocational guidance starts with research into the vocational fields available. School pupils need to become familiar with professional activities, work processes and the practical world of employment. Exploring professional fields is also an important step toward an internship, which is every bit as much a part of vocational guidance as an analysis of the pupils’ skills, interests and potentials.

Nationwide Initiatives
Recent years have seen a steady rise in demand for engineers and skilled workers. Promoting new talent and lifetime learning is therefore a top priority for ProduktionNRW. There are many active players in North Rhine-Westphalia promoting training and further education in the mathematics, IT, science and technology (“MINT”) fields in municipal, regional and nationwide initiatives covering kindergartens through to universities and adult education projects.

Telgter Model
The “Telgter Model” has been in place since mid-2008. Its goal is to promote practical cooperation between companies and schools in Telgte, a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, to ensure that pupils gain deepening insights into various occupational profiles at local companies, beyond their individual subject-area studies, from primary school onwards. More than 105 companies from the manufacturing industry, craft enterprises, trade, catering and services are currently participating in the project.

Regional Activities
There are many activities organised by ProduktionNRW's network partners throughout North Rhine-Westphalia. These activities aim at young people such as pupils, students, teachers and companies.