NEW EXPERIENCE BEYOND THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE

Four years ago, I started my dual studies at INP Germany GmbH in Römerberg in cooperation with the DHBW Mannheim (Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Mannheim) and graduated last year as an electrical engineer. Actually, I never really thought about what I wanted to be. My dad is also an electrical engineer, and since electricity was generally very interesting to me and I loved math at school, it was pretty clear which direction my studies would take.

But it was no picnic! It really must be said at this point, because to study in addition to working all day requires much discipline. The first few semesters cover a lot of theoretical information. If you don’t stay on top of things, you’ll lose quickly.
Eventually the course included project work, which was my favorite part of studying. For example, once we had to program a reaction game, which was a lot of fun.

After completing my studies, I was given the opportunity to work on a project in a furnace-gas-fired power plant near Bremen, and I am currently preparing for a wind farm in the North Sea. I will work partly on the onshore station, but also on the platform. I will be primarily responsible for the signal checks. About 3 years are planned for this project. But that does not mean that I won’t see my family and friends until then. I actually get to go home every 14 days.

For those who want to learn this profession, I can only advise you to inquire beforehand what it entails. In addition, you should have a real interest in these issues and be willing to work through a lot of study material in a short time.

With INP you have an employer at your side, where a great working atmosphere prevails. I think it's great to work with students and new trainees, but also with experienced professionals. Even if sometimes something happens at the last minute and everything suddenly seems chaotic, you manage to master the tasks together again and again.

For the future I hope to be involved in more exciting projects, but above all I look forward to an interesting job and a happy and satisfactory life. And then let's see where life takes me.

Actually, I was interested studying mechanical engineering after graduating from high school, until I met a friend of my parents (one of my current colleagues at INP), who impressed me with his stories about INP to such an extent that I am now studying electrical engineering at the DHBW Mannheim with focus on automation.

I think it's great to have a dual curriculum, because I am not only learning about the theory but I can also work on actual projects very early on. This allows me to put the learned material into practice immediately.

A lot of theoretical information is taught in the first few semesters. A flood of new information is pounding down on you which leaves you disoriented at first. For example, this includes very abstract mathematical calculations or the elaborate preparation of electronic models. But the more familiar I get with this material, the more conclusive and comprehensible the whole thing gets, and finally everything comes full circle and I get the feeling that I understand what is involved here. That fascinates me.

I especially think it is awesome that I have been fully integrated in many different projects at INP Deutschland GmbH from the beginning. You can collaborate directly and even take on smaller responsibilities.

My first project, for example, was the Heidenheim industrial power plant. This is a relatively small plant, but it has all the same system components as a giant power plant. Here, for the first time, I could see the big picture and get an insight into process engineering, including the many different processes. It was the perfect beginner project for me.

In the coming year, I will be finished with my studies and I hope that I will be hired by INP, because what I really appreciate is the varied work. There are many companies where the work is limited to individual systems and that’s it. At INP, on the other hand, you get to know all the systems, since many different customers have many different desires.
Moreover, I am impressed by the family atmosphere. Several times a year private events take place, such as hiking, barbecue and an awesome Christmas party.

It is simply beautiful to live and work here in the Palatinate and to travel all over the place for different projects. Therefore, I would recommend to anyone who is interested in a technical/engineering degree to apply here.