Festo, global leader in automation technology and the world market leader in industrial training and education, is this year once again supporting the WorldSkills competition in the Mechatronics and Robotics disciplines. From 2 to 7 July, in Hall 3 of the Leipzig trade fair grounds, Festo will be presenting current highlights from the Bionic Learning Network such as the Bionic Handling Assistant, an adaptive gripper, and the BionicOpter, a flying object inspired by the dragonfly, along with many other possibilities that are bound to appeal to young people with an interest in technology. It will certainly be worth paying a visit. Festo is more than just an innovation leader and global enterprise. The company also offers exciting careers and perspectives for young people. Development of new trends, fields of research and interdepartmental cooperation are just some of the reasons why Festo is a great company to work for. What skills does a mechatronics engineer require? What is the day-to-day working life of a mechatronics engineer like and what makes people choose this career? Schoolchildren, trainees and students will be able to find out for themselves at WorldSkills. The Mechatronics and Robotics competitions as well as the Festo stand will offer plenty of excitement and information from the experts in automation technology. As a learning company, Festo doesn't just make sure that its own employees keep pace with the latest technological developments. External companies and educational establishments also benefit from Festo's expertise. As the world leader in technical education and training, Festo Didactic shares its competence and technical expertise with over 40,000 customers worldwide. This activity includes support for the WorldSkills Mechatronics and Robotics competitions. Promoting greater interest in technology It is a great honour for Festo to be able to support WorldSkills 2013 as a Venue Naming Right Partner. This is by no means the only commitment of the family-owned company, however. Along with many national and international projects, Festo promotes up-and-coming talent through its own education fund and stipends, for example. Young engineers and scientists are supported with access to an exclusive network, thus paving the way for their future career. For Festo it is abundantly clear that actively promoting technical education and training is essential for market success, innovation and sustainability. Politicians have been dealing with issues including skills shortages and lack of interest in subjects such as mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology for a number of years. This is where Festo can make a significant contribution by promoting new talent. Visitors will be able to see this for themselves by coming to the Festo stand and seeing the fascinating projects from the Bionic Learning Network. The Exohand, the Bionic Handling Assistant and the BionicOpter, a flying device inspired by the dragonfly, are also sure to amaze. Festo doesn't want to just inspire young talent. The company also provides a host of education and training opportunities. Exciting apprenticeship and combined study opportunities Festo currently provides training in five technical professions – including electronics engineer, mechatronics engineer and machinist – and in three commercial professions. The company also offers six different combined study programmes, from business administration to mechatronics. Festo gives its apprentices, trainees and students the chance to take part in exciting projects, work abroad and acquire practical experience with the company from the moment they first walk through the door. The family-owned company also believes in lifelong learning and gives people the opportunity to develop, propose and implement new ideas and to propose and implement innovations at all levels of the company. Festo is also a company where cooperation is valued. Young people can experience this friendly and cooperative working environment even before starting their career as an intern, working student or trainee. Alfred Goll, Member of the Management Board Human and Inlectual Resources, explains the Festo commitment in more detail: "We refer to our social responsibility in the area of education, technology and knowledge as 'Corporate Educational Responsibility' （CER）. Everywhere in the world, education is the basis for a successful future. With diverse projects in the Automation and Didactic fields, we take an active role in basic and further training and in global knowledge transfer. Supporting young people in their education and promoting greater interest in technology – for Festo is education is an investment in the future. The WorldSkills competitions are therefore key elements of the company's commitment in the area of education. Festo is sponsoring the professional skills championship as a Venue Naming Right partner and has been providing the official competition equipment in the form of its modular production systems for more than 15 years." Festo at a glance Festo is a global leader in automation technology, and the world market leader in industrial training and education. Festo’s pneumatic and electric drive technology stands for innovation in factory and process automation – from individual products to ready-to-install solutions. Innovation for the best possible productivity of our customers, a global presence and close, long-term partnerships with our customers are the hallmarks of Festo. Festo has 16,200 staff worldwide in 61 national companies. Festo’s turnover for 2012 was 2.2 billion euros. About the Bionic Learning Network The Bionic Learning Network is a network linking Festo to well-known universities, institutes and development companies. The objective of this initiative is to transfer biological principles to industrial technology and to produce innovative solutions and visions for industrial applications, all through bionics. Automated motion sequences can be made even more energy-efficient and productive using bionics, potentially providing industry with compley new solutions for practical problems. |
