10 years co-operation with Siemens in continuing education for teachers

"I hope that one time they will say about us and our age: they treated our planet's resources responsibly; they sought and found new ways", said Prof. Waltraud 'Wara' Wende, Education Minister of the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein, on occasion of the ten-year anniversary of the co-operation between the federal state and Siemens AG in providing continuing education for teachers at vocational colleges.

The minister thanked the company for its commitment during a celebration in Eutin. To date, more than 50 continuing education events have been implemented. She highlighted the value of sustained impulses, innovative ideas and the latest technological developments that Siemens contributed. "Something like a Siemens family has formed with the teachers", said Wende with respect to the networking between participants of the continuing education programmes.

Roland Scheuerer, Siemens AG, Head of Siemens Automation Cooperates with Education, emphasised: "The ten-year co-operation is a gain for everybody involved." He said that increasingly scarce resources require new ways of thinking and the consistent implementation of energy-efficient solutions. Moreover, innovations such as 'industry 4.0' are exemplary of the rapid further development in propulsion and automation technology.

"The knowledge transfer between the reality of the working environment and vocational education and training is more important than ever before," he said. Both sides benefit equally from co-operation: "Vocational colleges benefit because they can adapt their lessons to the current state of technology, and enterprises benefit from having available a future labour force with the necessary expert knowledge." With its 'Siemens Automation Cooperates with Education' programme, the company supports educational as well as research and development institutions in the field of industrial automation worldwide by way of partnerships and the transfer of know-how.

"Only the co-operation with Siemens AG allows us to introduce technical trends and innovations in the field of intelligent automation technology to teachers and thus also to apprentices at the vocational colleges in good time", said Dr Thomas Riecke-Baulecke, Director of the Institute for Quality Development of Schools in Schleswig-Holstein (IQSH). Vocational education and training for future professionals is an important contribution towards making businesses in Schleswig-Holstein fit for future technological challenges and to ensure their competitive capability. "The co-operation with Siemens enables the IQSH's Landesseminar Berufliche Bildung (Federal State Seminar for Vocational Training) to offer teachers in the fields of electronics, metal and automotive technology and mechatronics innovative, high-quality continuing education courses and guidance that reflect the needs of businesses", said Riecke-Baulecke.

In his guest lecture "Innovationen made in Germany", Torsten Seemann, Head of Business Development for Siemens Region North, highlighted the importance of professionals with targeted training and qualifications for ensuring the competitive capability of enterprises: "Innovations have been the DNA of Siemens for more than 160 years. They are made by well-trained people. This is why we place such great value on quality and continual qualification in vocational education and training."