"STEM Engineering Camp" at the Koblenz Chamber of Crafts and Trades is well received.
"The skilled trades were presented very realistically. There simply aren't the opportunities for this in school. Here we saw what it is like in practice and had a lot of fun," explains Julian Schütz from Rhens and Tayfun Demir from Koblenz. The two 17-year-olds are students at the "Max-von-Laue-Gymnasium" — a higher-level secondary school based in Koblenz. They are starting Year 12 and, together with six other students, spent the first week of the holiday attending the "STEM Engineering Camp" at the Koblenz Chamber of Crafts and Trades. The higher-level secondary school specialising in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) has a large number of cooperation partners and, as a result, has been offering high-quality practical work placements to sixth form pupils for some years. The only requirement is an interest in technology.
"It definitely exceeded our expectations. We had no idea about the high level of technology in the skilled trades," commented participants, summing up their experience at the Koblenz Chamber of Crafts and Trades. The objective was to build a sundial in several stages. As part of this, the students were shown the basics of modern metal and steel processing, from planning through to the finished product. They learned about computer-controlled CAD technology and were instructed in the use of CNC machines. The methods of water jet cutting and laser cutting of metal also featured among the topics planned for the day. In the welding simulator, they practised the particular skills needed to create welded seams, while the welding trainers simultaneously presented and evaluated the work results visually on the monitor. The welders then received objective feedback with precise analysis of their errors. At the end of the camp, pupils were able to assemble their sundials and, in addition, do some real welding.
Julian and Tayfun can well imagine doing an apprenticeship in the skilled trades following their upper secondary school leaving certificate. "There are a huge range of training opportunities in the skilled trades and they are really exciting. During the placement week at the Koblenz Chamber of Crafts and Trades there was loads of technology. I'm glad we went."