Girls Day 2013: nearly 100 schoolgirls visit Brose

On Girls’ Day this year, 97 schoolgirls in 8th and 9th grade discovered how interesting and exciting engineering can be at the Brose training locations in Coburg (36 girls), Hallstadt (11), Würzburg (26), Wuppertal (8) and Berlin (16). The girls learned about technical job profiles and a wide range of career opportunities in Germany and abroad.

“Many young women have good school qualifications,” explains Michael Stammberger, Manager Apprenticeship HR Brose Group. “But when it comes to choosing an apprenticeship or university course, girls still tend to decide against engineering and science careers and degree courses. Yet these areas in particular offer a wide range of career opportunities for qualified female entrants – and that’s what this day highlighted.”

Practical exercises led by apprentices gave the participants a chance to test their manual skills, problem-solving abilities and understanding of technical relationships. They could use a CAD system to design a component part, learn a programming language or produce a key ring. In the process they found out about various job profiles at the Brose training locations: technical product designer, mechatronics technician, toolmaker, IT specialist, and electronics technician for automation technology.

IT specialist – job profile presented for the first time

Among the participants were Alina Bäz (15) and Isabell Schirner (14) from Realschule Neustadt. They were given an insight into the job of an IT specialist – the first time this job profile has been presented by Brose on Girls’ Day. “I am doing information technology at school and I enjoy it,” says Alina Bäz. “That’s what made me curious about this career. I’m particularly excited about the programming. I’ve never done that before.” Four job profiles were presented in Coburg, three in Würzburg and one in Hallstadt, Wuppertal and Berlin. In addition, the trainers gave the girls tips on career guidance and job applications.

It is the tenth time that Brose has taken part in Girls’ Day: “This is the largest careers guidance project for young women in Germany,” emphasizes Stammberger. “It attracts a lot of public attention and is therefore a fantastic opportunity for us to further increase the percentage of female applicants in the medium term.” The proportion of female apprentices at Brose is over 30 percent. And Girls’ Day has had a positive impact: so far, ten Girls’ Day participants have started an apprenticeship with the company.

Brose is currently training a total of nearly 270 young people. Training opportunities at Brose cover eight commercial and technical occupations and four degree courses at universities of cooperative education.