OHB supports Astrodrom at the IdeenExpo as Silver Supporter

Den roten Faden bildet dabei das Thema Nachhaltigkeit – sowohl auf der Erde, als auch im Weltraum. Veranschaulichen werden wir dies unter anderem mit einzigartigen Exponaten, die zum Teil eigens für die Messe angefertigt wurden. Zudem finden täglich vier unterschiedliche Workshops am Messestand statt. Unterstützung bekommen wir unter anderem von OHB. Der Bremer Raumfahrtkonzern übernimmt als Silver-Supporter eine eigene Workshop-Session zum Thema Space Debris.

„We are constantly looking for new pioneers."

In addition to Christian Fischer, Head of Vocational Training at OHB, Wencke Turwitt, HR Specialist Employer Branding, will also be there in person. As she emphasizes in an interview with Astrodrom, a career in space travel need not remain a dream. “We are very pleased to be taking part in this year’s IdeenExpo. The fair has set itself the goal of getting young people excited about technology and science and attracting skilled workers to the STEM fields. This is exactly where we start and want to create interest and enthusiasm for space travel and careers in space technology. We also want to show how diverse the career opportunities are in the space sector. In addition, we provide training and would like to present these opportunities to young people. After all, OHB is constantly on the lookout for new pioneers.”

Common goal: to inspire enthusiasm for space technology

In view of the numerous planned projects, specialists are urgently needed. Informing, inspiring and motivating the professionals of tomorrow is the top priority for Astrodrom e.V., which was already established in March 2022. Thus, OHB and Astrodrom are pursuing common goals with this cooperation: To make tomorrow’s skilled workers aware of the complexity of jobs in the space industry in order to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in the medium to long term. Because it is already clear that well-trained personnel will be harder to find in the future. It is therefore important to create an awareness of the various career opportunities in aerospace, if possible as early as the career orientation phase. Traditionally, this is a topic that is addressed by teachers and students in grades 9 and 10 (lower secondary school) and grades 11 and 12/13 (upper secondary school). These are also the core target group for the workshops, which are characterized by a high level of practical relevance and for which around 250 participants have already registered.

Structured like missions, they are intended to create the lowest possible threshold for access to space topics and, first and foremost, to be fun. Wencke Turwitt also emphasizes this approach: "We want to pass on our enthusiasm for spaceflight and awaken this enthusiasm in young people.“

Specialists urgently needed!

There is no denying that space flight is an exciting subject per se. Nevertheless, the search for qualified applicants is not a foregone conclusion for companies, as OHB is well aware: “We are always happy to receive applications from experienced professionals, who are ‘on fire’ for space flight and who are committed to developing innovative ideas for tomorrow,” emphasizes Wencke Turwitt. Although the Bremen-based space company is generally open to lateral entrants, they usually should have a technical background.

In order to learn the necessary “Rocket Science” know-how, OHB offers two courses of study in the fields of computer science and mechatronics. “We would be delighted to find more potential candidates for our degree courses who would like to improve the world with innovative technology,” says Wencke Turwitt, describing her expectations of the joint appearance at the IdeenExpo. As head of vocational training, Christian Fischer can only emphasize this: “Who can say they work for an aerospace company and belong to the spearhead that makes the almost technically impossible possible?!”

10 days packed full program at the IdeenExpo

OHB SE’s more than 3,000 employees do just that every day. They are spread across three business units. In the Space Systems segment, satellite systems and space missions are realized. The Aerospace segment focuses on the production of structures for aircraft and spacecraft. The third business unit, Digital, bundles a wide range of service activities, including satellite operations and the development of IT applications based on satellite data. OHB will be offering an insight into the day-to-day work of a space company at the IdeenExpo in Hanover on July 5, 2022. The Astrodrom e.V. stand FW05 is located in Hall 9, which this year is entitled “Fascination:Space”. In its last physical edition, IdeenExpo attracted more than 400,000 visitors, making it Europe’s largest youth event for technology and science. Despite the still tense Corona situation, the organizers are expecting several thousand visitors again this year.