Women and Technology? Of Course!
Mechanical and technical professions, such as
industrial mechanic or technical draftsman, are still a man's
world. Women at the workbench or operating a printing press make up
the exception. The goal of events like Girls' Day is to finally
change this.
"Before today, I had no idea what an industrial mechanic actually does! I wouldn't have had the guts to come here on my own." These or similar sentiments were expressed by many of the 145 girls who took part in Girls' Day in April 2007 at one of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen's three German locations in Amstetten, Brandenburg and Wiesloch-Walldorf.
The students, who were mostly between the ages of 13 and 16 and included many daughters of employees, attended lectures and discussions with executives and female technicians, which provided information about higher education possibilities and training courses, job descriptions, and career prospects at Heidelberg. There was, of course, also plenty of time for hands-on experience: Using a Printmaster GTO, which they were allowed to operate on their own, the girls gained their first insights into the world of printing. They could also try their hand at other engineering activities, such as drilling and soldering. "I wouldn't have thought that I could do that. I think it's great that I have the opportunity here to try out completely different skills," says a 15-year-old participant, who is close to finishing secondary school.
"Before today, I had no idea what an industrial mechanic actually does! I wouldn't have had the guts to come here on my own." These or similar sentiments were expressed by many of the 145 girls who took part in Girls' Day in April 2007 at one of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen's three German locations in Amstetten, Brandenburg and Wiesloch-Walldorf.
The students, who were mostly between the ages of 13 and 16 and included many daughters of employees, attended lectures and discussions with executives and female technicians, which provided information about higher education possibilities and training courses, job descriptions, and career prospects at Heidelberg. There was, of course, also plenty of time for hands-on experience: Using a Printmaster GTO, which they were allowed to operate on their own, the girls gained their first insights into the world of printing. They could also try their hand at other engineering activities, such as drilling and soldering. "I wouldn't have thought that I could do that. I think it's great that I have the opportunity here to try out completely different skills," says a 15-year-old participant, who is close to finishing secondary school.
Dieter Barth, who is responsible for career education at Heidelberg
in Amstetten, also concludes positively, "Our event,
Girls' Day, is attracting increasing interest. Both in
Amstetten and Wiesloch-Walldorf a lot more girls participated than
in previous years. This shows how important these kinds of events
are for dispelling girls' fear of embarking
on technical careers and for helping them orientate
themselves career-wise.
The nationwide Girls' Day, which began in 2001 as an initiative from the political and economic sectors, unions and many other organizations, took place for the fifth time. Roughly 8,000 businesses and organizations took part, providing information to more than 135,000 girls about professions in the sciences and technical fields. In the process, the girls also built up their self-confidence, as one the participants at Heidelberg stated, "After what I saw today, I can definitely imagine myself doing something technical."
The nationwide Girls' Day, which began in 2001 as an initiative from the political and economic sectors, unions and many other organizations, took place for the fifth time. Roughly 8,000 businesses and organizations took part, providing information to more than 135,000 girls about professions in the sciences and technical fields. In the process, the girls also built up their self-confidence, as one the participants at Heidelberg stated, "After what I saw today, I can definitely imagine myself doing something technical."
