The first ten students of the new degree course in Engineering Pedagogy have completed their Bachelor’s degree and now face the choice of whether to continue to Master’s level or to enter the world of employment. Should they become a teacher or an engineer?
Introduced in 2015 at Landshut University of Applied Sciences, the degree course in Engineering Pedagogy opens up a variety of opportunities. Anyone enrolling for this course gains experience early on in three areas. Most teaching events concern the selected technical focus of metals technology or electrical engineering. A school teaching subject – mathematics or physics – is also included along with engineering pedagogy from the first semester. During their studies, students complete a placement in a school, as well as a practical semester at a company specialising in the student’s chosen subject focus.
For the school placement, Landshut University of Applied Sciences cooperates with a number of vocational schools in Lower Bavaria, the Upper Palatinate and Upper Bavaria. Many students on placement use the opportunity to make contacts with teaching staff and school heads in their own area or the region where they wish to work. Good collaboration between the university, students and teachers in the schools is a prerequisite for reflecting on individual professional development and supporting the process of becoming a professional. From the first semester, students receive professional support and detailed feedback that helps them make the decision as to whether the teaching profession is right for them.
“The degree in Engineering Pedagogy opens many doors for students: completing a Master’s to become qualified as a teacher, a technical Master’s in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering or going straight into the private sector. These are all excellent opportunities,” says Prof. Konstantin Ziegler, director of the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies. “Many of our students would like to stay in the region. And in East Bavaria in particular, there is presently high demand for vocational teachers.”
In the end, virtually all the graduates have decided to go on to study at the Technical University (TU) of Munich. Here there is a cooperation agreement for entry onto the Master’s degree in Vocational Education. Due to this collaboration it is also possible for interested students with vocational qualifications to start studying to become a teacher.
The shortage of teaching staff at vocational schools is confirmed by Maximilian Pinkl, a student at Landshut University of Applied Sciences. He is currently writing his Bachelor’s thesis at TÜV-Süd Auto-Service GmbH. During his school placement he was encouraged by his supervisor and the school’s head and had direct experience of the dearth of teachers in vocational schools. This reinforced his decision. “The joy of working with people won out, even though the engineering profession appeals on the side,” says Pinkl.
“Discipline, independence and commitment – these are the three most important points which shaped my studies at university”, according to Sophia Stahl who has already completed her studies in Engineering Pedagogy. She is currently doing a work placement at BMW to gain even more practical experience. She doesn’t yet know what she will do in the future. “I had very good experiences with the ‘BayernMentoring’ programme’, for example, in which students from technical degree courses exchange ideas and can help each other and also receive encouragement. Networking was one of the most important tasks that I learned during my studies. If you engage deeply with your studies, then you know you have achieved something special by the end.”
Anyone interested in the degree course in Engineering Pedagogy can still apply to Landshut University of Applied Sciences by 15 July. Entry requirements, course content and information about applying can be found at www.haw-landshut.de/bachelor-ip
Photo: Landshut University of Applied Sciences
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