Balluff awarded for youth work

Outstanding perspectives

The network SCHULEWIRTSCHAFT Deutschland recognizes the efforts of sensor and automation specialist Balluff towards a closer partnership between educational institutions and companies.

"This has potential!" – this is the cachet that SCHULEWIRTSCHAFT used to recognize Balluff in the Companies category at the beginning of December. Balluff was awarded second place with an outstanding evaluation. SCHULEWIRTSCHAFT awards prizes to companies, which act to encourage the career perspectives of young people in ways that ease the transition from school to professional life. In selecting the best companies, factors such as ongoing cooperation with schools, implementation of educational activities as well as long-term and sustained teamwork with the schools and kindergartens place a decisive role.

From youngest to oldest

"Tomorrow, the children and young people of today will be the pillars of our society and therefore deserve to be appreciated accordingly. Demographic trends make this apparent. They are the key to counteracting the predicted shortages of management personnel. Through our various projects we are able to position Balluff as a future and attractive educational partner and employer," says Managing Director Katrin Stegmaier-Hermle. Balluff GmbH offers projects that begin even with the very youngest. "We see our youth work as a process designed to cover the youngest to the oldest. We begin in kindergarten with the Technolino program. Here our apprentices show the children for example how to make a lemon battery out of household items," explains Florence Bauder, personnel administrator for education at Balluff. In this way, the children have their first playful experiences with technology.

Promoting knowledge and interest

In elementary school, Balluff continues their young people's program with TechnolinoPlus. "Here again our apprentices and students are the instructors, going deeper into the topics of magnetism and electricity," explains Bauder. Projects in the higher-level schools follow. High school students for example have developed and constructed a kanban shelving system. This allows them to see that what they develop also has actual application for Balluff. "Our actions with the educational cooperations are always integrated into our company. Not only do we go into the institutions, the pupils also come to us. Our projects not only encourage pupils to learn and promote interest in our company, they also reinforce the social skills of our trainees," summarizes Bauder. The children thus have direct and young contact persons available in whom they develop trust much more quickly.

Long years of cooperation

Balluff has been involved with the SCHULEWIRTSCHAFT for 15 years. The company is currently working with two college-preparatory high schools and an elementary school in the region. During the programs, Balluff uses practical training courses and tours, educational sponsorships, parental work and job application training to ensure allround programming for its youngest and oldest cooperation partners.

About Balluff

Founded in 1921 in Neuhausen a.d.F., Balluff employs 4,000 people worldwide and represents innovative technology, quality and cross-industry experience in industrial automation. As a leading sensor and automation specialist, the family-owned company in its fourth generation offers a comprehensive portfolio of high-quality sensor, identification and network and software solutions for industrial automation.

In 2017 Balluff Group reported revenues of around EUR 459 million. In addition to the main headquarters in Neuhausen a. d. F., Balluff has sales, production and development locations around the world and can boast 37 wholly owned subsidiaries and other representatives in 68 countries. This guarantees customers rapid worldwide availability of products and high consulting and service quality on site.