A week of concentrated knowledge for high school students about the working world of IT and digitization: This was the promise of the IT Bootcamp, to which the Wirtschaftsförderung Kreis Unna (WFG) and the Institute for the Digitization of Working and Living Environments (IDiAL) of the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts invited to the User Innovation Center (UIC) of the UAS during the 2021 fall vacations.
An intensive hands-on program awaited the 13 interested young people from the Unna district: Each day of the five-day boot camp focused on a different topic from the world of IT. Internet and cloud, software solutions or video game development: What was learned theoretically was always completed with a practical part. For example, the youngsters programmed an interactive light control system based on Java or used the 3D printer to produce various everyday objects. The daily program was rounded off by a report from an IT expert or trainee from the participating regional companies on the relevant training occupations and career opportunities.
Internship position secured
Thus, the young professionals of tomorrow gained exciting insights into everyday working life at Tarox AG and BROCKHAUS AG from Lünen as well as at StratOz GmbH and Snakebyte distribution GmbH from Schwerte. During the visit to the Technology Center in Schwerte, which was on the agenda on the last day of the IT boot camp, one of the participating young people was able to attend an interview directly at StratOz GmbH and secure an internship. Technopark & Wirtschaftsförderung Schwerte GmbH invited the group to lunch at the end of the day.
"The goal of the IT boot camp is to give the students not only theoretical content, but also a lot of practical experience. That's why the IT bootcamp is designed to be interactive, for example by incorporating team challenges and feedback rounds or even gambling on the Playstation," explains Lisa Rubbert, who organized the IT bootcamp at WFG Kreis Unna. "Since the event also had real added value for the participating companies, which made initial contacts with the skilled workers of tomorrow at the bootcamp, a repeat is planned," says Lisa Rubbert.
Entertaining and helpful week
The young people were enthusiastic and bid farewell to Dr. Nhiem Lu, assistant professor for computer science and digitalization at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts and head of the IT boot camp, with a standing ovation. "The week was really extremely fun and helped me a lot when it comes to my choice of career or my choice of studies," one student, for example, summed up.
The event was part of the "Knowledge creates success" project. This is funded by the European Union and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
