Pupils of the 9th grade of the Dr.-Auguste-Kirchner Realschule from Hassfurt experienced the SKZ Lab at the German Plastics Center (SKZ) in Würzburg and received a visit from District Administrator Wilhelm Schneider of the Haßberge district. The Schweinfurt and Knetzgau-based company MAINCOR Rohrsysteme GmbH & Co. KG supported this day as a sponsor.

District Administrator Wilhelm Schneider visiting the SKZ student lab (from left to right, Head of Student Lab Irena Heuzeroth, District Administrator Wilhelm Schneider, SKZ Institute Director Prof. Dr. Martin Bastian. Students of the Dr.-Auguste-Kirchner-Realschule-Haßberge), Photo: Luca Hoffmannbeck, SKZ

Young people receive support in career orientation and reflect on their own behavior with plastics

In the student laboratory SKZ Lab, young people spend a whole day working practically and in lively teamwork on important issues of plastics production, thus also gaining a very good insight into the opportunities for professional training in this interesting STEM field. This week, the 9th grade with a focus on handicrafts from the Dr.-Auguste-Kirchner-Realschule in Hassfurt was active in the SKZ Lab together with their subject teachers. The day at SKZ Lab was financially supported by the company MAINCOR Rohrsysteme GmbH & Co. KG and personally accompanied by employees from training and public relations.

The SKZ Lab was also visited by District Administrator Wilhelm Schneider of the Haßberge district, who learned about the opportunities and offers. Together with SKZ Institute Director Prof. Dr. Martin Bastian, District Administrator Schneider experienced extremely committed and motivated young people who approached their tasks in small teams. Under the guidance of expert SKZ staff the students were able to, for example, manufacture products live on an injection molding machine. The environmentally friendly handling of plastics and the opportunities and challenges of the circular economy of plastics were also actively discussed. The students' own behavior in dealing with plastics was thus questioned. In this way, self-reflective thinking was stimulated and career choices supported. The joint work in a team and the interest in natural sciences is thus sustainably promoted and attention is drawn to the opportunities and interesting tasks of MINT professions (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences, technology).
 
Exemplary project in career orientation
District Administrator Schneider was impressed by the opportunities at SKZ Lab, which offers not only an operational insight into the world of plastics but also discussion space for social and ecological issues. "The commitment and interest of the students is impressive. Extracurricular places of learning, such as the SKZ Lab, offer such a very valuable complement to the classroom. I am pleased that the young people from Hassfurt are interested in STEM professions and thank the Maincor company for its financial support."

Prof. Dr. Martin Bastian is pleased with the recognition and points out that the shortage of skilled workers is a major concern for the industry and considers it very important that offerings such as the SKZ Lab are taken advantage of and promoted. He expresses his special thanks to the sponsor of today's SKZ Lab: "The institute cannot support the SKZ Lab on its own. Therefore, I am very pleased that today's day was sponsored by the company MAINCOR and thus the young people could be offered an interesting and practical day - thank you very much! By doing so, you allow the young people to deal with the complex topic of plastics. It shows the great possibilities of technical professions and thus supports the local regional economy and the business location Bavaria as a whole. This makes us a role model for how career guidance support can really work."

The head of marketing and public relations of the company MAINCOR Rohrsysteme GmbH & Co. KG Florian Dittert confirms, "We are pleased that we can support such motivated students in their career orientation and at the same time present our interesting training opportunities at the company sites in Knetzgau and Schweinfurt. This helps everyone considerably." Subject teacher Michael Beinke from Dr.-Auguste-Kirchner-Realschule-Haßfurt adds: "The day at the SKZ student lab offers our students a unique opportunity to expand on theory through practical experience. In this way, the young people also discover completely new skills, interests and career opportunities of their own."
 
The SKZ Lab
The SKZ Lab offers school classes the opportunity to actively look into the world of plastics and spend a day in the operational world of plastics production. In six teams, the students simulate a customer order. They develop and work out the design, learn how to handle machines and tools, make calculations, check product quality and work on improvements. The sustainability team is new. In this team, the students critically examine the topic of microplastics and the possibilities of, for example, the circular economy.

About MAINCOR Rohrsysteme GmbH & Co. KG
MAINCOR Rohrsysteme GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Schweinfurt, Germany, consists of the business units Pipe Systems Building Technology (Heating & Sanitary) and Pipe Systems Industry (Industrial Applications). With 450 employees at its Knetzgau site, MAINCOR produces plastic pipes for a wide range of applications. The product spectrum ranges from pipes for the automotive, industrial and white goods sectors, through heating and sanitary applications, to plastic surface finishing (fluorination).