Getting young women into male-dominated fields.

Women's power still has the potential to reach more typically male professions – Knorr-Bremse aims to benefit from this potential. The world market leader in brake systems for rail and commercial vehicles is a renowned and popular destination for training in predominantly technical occupations – from machine maintenance, industrial mechanics, electronics and mechatronics to the commercial professions. There is clearly room for more female interest in these particular fields. To help that inspiration take hold, we give children – boys and girls alike – an introduction to technology through small projects at our premises.

Inspiring girls to enter MINT professions

In the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), there are currently 164 apprentices working at Knorr-Bremse (125 of whom in Germany), including 17 women. Among the 55 apprentices starting their training in 2018, technical career choices dominate. There is a shortage of young talent, with a particular need to introduce more girls to MINT occupations (mathematics, IT, natural sciences and technology) and inspire them to pursue these paths. Florence Bröcheler, Head of Training at the Munich site, says: "All year round, we inform young people about opportunities at Knorr-Bremse through a variety of channels, such as school fairs and technology camps for girls, including the one we organize in Munich.”

Getting kids excited about technology

The earlier such efforts are made, the better. In the "Children & Technology" project at the Aldersbach site in Lower Bavaria, primary school pupils can gain their first experience of soldering, screwing and drilling under the guidance of apprentices. Children of employees aged 13 and up can attend the "KB for Kids" program at Knorr-Bremse in Munich and Aldersbach, where projects such as building an aluminum locomotive give them a flavor of the training occupations offered by Knorr-Bremse. "Female researchers wanted" is the motto of "Girls’ Day", which appeals to teenagers. In Munich in 2018, the young participants conducted technical experiments under supervision and tested the suitability of different materials in the braking process with the help of a test bench. In Aldersbach, Munich and at Kiepe Electric in Düsseldorf, the young female professionals presented their projects at the end of the event and received detailed information about the training opportunities in the predominantly technical professions. Knorr-Bremse attaches great importance to its ongoing partnerships with local schools, offering internships and company tours. The company also regularly participates in a number of careers fairs.

Teaching topics to different age groups

The power of sustainable local initiatives is demonstrated by the association "wissenswerkstatt Passau e. V.", of which Knorr-Bremse Aldersbach has been an active member for several years. The "knowledge workshop" has specially equipped course rooms where students can learn about topics such as electricity, steam, magnetism, forces, or even robotics and app programming, with the content adapted to their age and participation free of charge. Knorr-Bremse Aldersbach supports these joint activities by, among other things, having apprentices become tutors for the school classes participating in workshops.