girlsatec

What is an ambassador?

The technical system planner Janine, the Mechatronics engineer Elisa and the electrical technician for industrial engineering Maggie have one thing in common. They are volunteer ambassadors at girlsatec and play one of the most important parts in our project. But what exactly are they doing?

Ambassadors are role models

Young women often lack female role models in the metal and electrical industry. The ambassadors are those role models. This way girls can experience competencies in direct contact and role modelsfor different professions.

Ambassadors are

  • Female apprentices from the ABB-SME-Network
  • Women who have finished an apprenticeship and study a technical profession at the university
  • Skilled workers and engineers that have a passion for their profession and can give good adviceTasks of an ambassador

Inform and report about:

    • Themselves and their way to apprenticeship
    • Reasons for their choice of apprenticeship and how they finished it
    • Their apprenticeship and their professions to be (the process, special features and highlights)
    • Perspectives in the metal and electrical industry
    • The possibilities of an apprenticeship and the necessary skills
    • The support of interested students for their school based and professional orientation
    • Demonstration of professional perspectives and expanding the spectrum of possible careers, especially in the metal and electrical industry
    • Inform students about their choices of apprenticeship in workshops
    • Give insights to their companies
    • Be available as a contact person and a role model for the students

Ambassador meetings

The ambassadors meet once or twice a month after work in the ABB training center, in a park or in a cafe and talk about several topics: „How is it going with your company?“, „What can we do betterabout the promotion of women in our companies?“, „Are there any problems with colleagues?“, „Which exams are coming up?“, „How can we win more female students for industry-technical professions?“, „What could be our next topic for professional development?“ The meetings provide networking beyond the individual companies and solidarity between women, since there are rarely any female workers at companies.

The goal

The ambassadors participate in our project in order to enable female students to do this as well. Reports about positive experiences or helping them with their choices are ought to provide them with the same possibilities that our ambassadors had. They are convinced of their professions and want to share their excitement.

Public relation

The ambassadors report at exhibitions, class visits, the technic camp and other events about their experiences and explain, why they found their dream jobs in the technical area. They answer questions from the students as a contact person at eye level. The cooking event in April 2018 „Recipes for the future“ was an especially large event for us, that our ambassadors prepared and planned long time ahead. The main focus here was the networking ofstudents and companies. The girlsatec ambassadors held speeches and moderated the event and enabled communication between company representatives and students in the presence of the senator for integration, work and social affairs. The ambassadors want to sensitize the companies for the needs of young women and to get them in contact with events like this.

The seminar weekends

The ambassadors come together for a seminar weekend once a year. Two days are about character development, project development, retrospection, outlooks and having a great get together, get to know each other and free time activities. This way the weekend in the conference hotel offers enough time for exchange and the gathering of ideas for further steps in the project. This time we spend together is one of the ambassador highlights of the year.

Workshops 

Several different workshops and seminars are offered besides the seminar weekend. It is important to us that our ambassadors advance and that they feel secure in their responsibilities. In order to practice speaking in front of company respresentatives, we offer rhetoric seminars. We had a project-planning-workshop to prepare and plan the cooking event. All our efforts in continuing education are directed towards the needs of our ambassadors.

How can I join?

You are an apprentice or a worker in the commercial-technical industry? You are excited about yourwork and want to share that with students and other young women? You are looking for a network with other apprentices to talk about work and free time? Then join us and become a girlsatec ambassador! To join us, just contact our girlsatec team via telephone oder per E-Mail: info(at)girlsatec.luecken-design.de.  We are happy about amplification! Your girlsatec team