The HOCHSCHULEWIRTSCHAFT service point at the Bildungswerk der Baden-Württembergischen Wirtschaft e. V., the Südwestmetall district group in East Wuerttemberg, Aalen University of Applied Sciences and the Welcome Center Ostwürttemberg have developed the new "MINTconnect International" program to counter the shortage of skilled workers in the STEM field. The project is supported by the Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH Region Ostwürttemberg (WiRO), which facilitates company visits with the JOB-BUS Ostwürttemberg. "The metal and electrical industry offers continuous development and lifelong learning. With a job in our industry, people work on future technologies and can thus actively shape change and transformation," emphasizes Markus Killian, Managing Director of the Südwestmetall East Wuerttemberg district group.
However, the shortage of skilled workers in the STEM sector is also noticeable in East Wuerttemberg. For a region with a strong industrial base, securing qualified specialists is therefore a crucial issue for the future. International students are therefore a valuable resource for meeting the increasing demand for qualified STEM specialists in the long term. Many of them would like to stay in Germany after completing their Studies: A survey by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) shows that 64 percent of international students intend to stay. The advantages are obvious: international students already know Germany and its culture well, learn the language and often gain their first practical experience during their Studies through internships or project work. The MINTconnect International program is now in place to make better use of this potential and to connect international STEM students with companies in the Ostwürttemberg region at an early stage.
The aim of the program is to build bridges between international students and regional companies and to promote the transition into the regional job market. In view of the increasing shortage of skilled workers in the STEM sector, the project starts early and makes students aware of career prospects in the region. The project kicked off recently. During three intensive program days, the participating international students first reflected on their skills, career interests and goals and compared these with the requirements of the regional job market. A particular focus was placed on direct contact with business practice. On the second day, the students visited a regional company and gained practical insights into work processes and corporate culture. On the third and final day, the knowledge gained was evaluated and concrete next steps were discussed, such as language courses, application training or individual counseling services.
There are currently 526 international students studying at Aalen University of Applied Sciences in various Master's and Bachelor's degree programs such as Electrical Engineering, Machine Learning & Data Analytics, Advanced Materials & Manufacturing or Polymer Technology. "Our international students are excellently qualified. Programs such as MINTconnect International help to keep this talent in the region," explains Pascal Cromm, Head of the International Relations Office at Aalen University of Applied Sciences. The University of Applied Sciences works closely with the Welcome Center Ostwürttemberg, a joint project of Aalen University of Applied Sciences and the business development agency WiRO. The Welcome Center is in close contact with international students in the region and provides targeted support to regional companies to better tap into this potential for skilled workers.
The participants also draw a positive conclusion. Student, Ahmad Raza, Master's student in Marketing and AI reports: "Observing the transformation of raw material into high-precision technical components was really fascinating and helped me to better understand industrial production in practice. Overall, the visit was an incredible experience for me and gave me very valuable insights into modern production, quality standards and teamwork in a German company. I am very grateful that I was able to take part in this excursion."
Following the successful kick-off in February, the second round of the program will take place in April with two more company visits.
