Paving the way to careers in STEM
Sept. 2, 2024
With kids returning to school this autumn, GEA will be back too, engaging with students of all ages to promote careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). For GEA, building a more robust STEM workforce is one of the keys to driving innovation and tackling today’s complex global challenges.
Bastian Bieler was six years old when he first walked into GEA’s production site in Oelde, Germany, back in 2011. More than a decade later, he would be back at GEA – this time as an industrial mechanic apprentice.
“I have good memories of my GEA kindergarten visit, particularly the games we played, says Bieler. I’m sure that seeing the playful side of technology as a child had an impact on my decision to join GEA.”
Bastian’s visit was part of GEA’s kindergarten “Stöbertage” or tryout days. For several days each year children aged four to six visit GEA to learn about machinery through games as a way to ignite their interest in the sciences. Bieler’s journey from a curious kindergartner to an apprentice exemplifies GEA’s commitment to nurturing talent from an early age.
Manuel Achmedow (left) and Bastian Bieler (right) took part in GEA’s tryout days (Stöbertage) program in Oelde, Germany, when they were in kindergarten. Both later joined GEA as apprentices and continue to work for GEA today. (Image: GEA)
This dedication extends to comprehensive vocational training programs across Germany, as well as trainee programs in France and the UK, among other countries. Recently recognized as one of Germany's most attractive training providers, GEA currently employs around 370 apprentices and offers 16 different commercial and industrial/technical career paths. The company also partners with colleges and universities to provide 15 combined vocational training and degree programs, leading to bachelor's degrees in various fields.
I’m sure that seeing the playful side of technology as a child had an impact on my decision to join GEA.
- Bastian Bieler,
Industrial Mechanic Apprentice, GEA
Tackling talent shortages
In the U.S., the number of STEM jobs is growing twice as fast as non-STEM jobs, with more than 11 million projected STEM positions available in 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is good news, except that the projected number of STEM graduates cannot meet this demand. Other countries around the globe face similar situations. GEA is naturally invested in STEM because it is an engineering leader, but also because economies and societies depend on STEM expertise to ensure their innovative capacity and prosperity into the future.
For Sven Olaf Hagen, Senior Employee Attraction & Engagement Manager, Human Resources, GEA, this investment also means engaging with potential future employees along the entire lifecycle. “In our experience, only engaging with young people at end of their university studies is often too late. Kids develop preferences and affinities for subjects quite early, that’s why we reach out already at the kindergarten, primary- and high school phases. And of course, we are actively recruiting while students are at university, right up to the point when they are searching for their first or second job,” Hagen explains. “At GEA our aim is to be an attractive and top employer – today and in the future – therefore it’s important to take a long-term approach.”
According to the research study “Early exposure to STEM and its impact on the future of work” by Purdue University, exposing students to STEM at a young age has a positive impact on retaining their interest in STEM careers and provides them with the foundation for the skills needed. Supporting STEM development in young people is something Lisa-Jayne Cook, Service Sales Manager at GEA in the UK, has been doing for years.
Winner of GEA’s Culture & People Award in 2022, Cook volunteers as a STEMAZING trainer in the UK, conducting STEM experiments aimed at seven-to-nine-year-olds in schools and online. For her it’s all about getting them involved in a hands-on way to make STEM accessible and relatable.
“We want to show kids that everything in the modern world is touched by STEM. We do this by sparking their natural curiosity,” she explains. “We see their interest grow as we conduct each experiment then in the last session we talk about potential careers. Young people often do not see the opportunities in STEM and the different entry routes. We need to change this.”
After quietly going about her volunteering for several years, Cook has attracted more attention since winning the Culture & People Award – and uses her newfound visibility to recruit new STEMAZING trainers within GEA. “I couldn’t believe I won, but it has had such a positive impact,” she says. “I want to inspire other people to share their passion like I do. It has been amazing to see more GEA colleagues get involved in the program, which is female-led so also promotes diversity in STEM.”
We want to show kids that everything in the modern world is touched by STEM. We do this by sparking their natural curiosity.
- Lisa-Jayne Cook,
Service Sales Manager, GEA
Making technology tangible
In the U.S., GEA has teamed up with Junior Achievement, which runs programs to empower young people to make smart academic and economic choices. GEA employees across the U.S. are involved in the Career Speaker Series, which exposes high school students to professionals in a range of careers, including STEM fields, and lets them ask their own questions.
The GEA Pharmaceutical Technology Center in Columbia invited local school kids for demonstrations of spray drying, granulation, tablet press and coating. Michael Spray, Director for Environmental technologies, GEA, who organized the event, said that while the focus was on fun, it also showed the children how STEM and GEA can be a great career opportunity. “They see real world examples, like the types of medication that GEA technology produces, which have a direct impact on the world,” says Spray. “Given our GEA facility is just 20 minutes from where they live, that means they could remain close to home and still have a meaningful career in engineering.”
Local schoolchildren from Baltimore, Maryland, had the opportunity to get up close and learn about pharma processing and processing equipment in 2024 at GEA’s Pharmaceutical Technology Center in Columbia. (Image: GEA)
In Hudson, Wisconsin, students aged 14 to 17 were recently bussed to a GEA manufacturing facility and pilot plant. Lisa Meike, Senior Manager Project Engineering, GEA, said it was an eye-opening experience for the teens, who are already thinking about their careers. “They generally don’t have a lot of exposure to different experiences or careers,” explains Meike “This was an opportunity for them to see membrane filtration units in action and get a taste of the types of engineering and manufacturing career opportunities GEA offers. One student was so enthusiastic she said she was ready to start working for GEA tomorrow!”
Strengthening collaborations with academia
GEA sites are involved in career days at colleges and universities; they have a strong presence at key business fairs and open their doors to students to showcase their technologies and the many STEM careers on offer. These include roles in IT, information security, data analysis and finance as well as chemical, industrial, electrical and process engineering.
In recent years, GEA has taken a more unusual approach, hitting the road to showcase its technologies. Over a two-year period, the Heating & Refrigeration Technologies mobile showroom toured Europe, visiting 73 cities in 19 countries. Featuring a range of innovative products and solutions, the traveling showroom conducted 160 open-truck exhibitions and appeared at more than 100 events. A key aspect of this was visiting universities.
In addition, the company is also prioritizing university partnerships. For example, GEA’s new technology center in Janesville, Wisconsin in the U.S. – dedicated to alternative protein testing and development – is currently formalizing an industry-partnership agreement with the Integrated Center for Alternative Meat and Proteins (iCAMP) headquartered at the University of California, Davis, one of the most important agriculture and food science universities in the world.
Sarita Chauhan, GEA Senior Biotechnologist, sees universities as “rich sources of top talent” and stresses the importance of connecting with academic institutions if GEA wants to stay at the cutting edge of the emerging new food sector and deliver innovative products. “The partnership with UC Davis is a great opportunity for GEA to tap into the knowledge base, network and resources of UC Davis – and to continue to be a driving force in the growth and development of an industry essential to a sustainable future,” she says, adding that GEA has partnerships with other high-profile food science universities in the pipeline.
Across GEA, employees continue to play a pivotal role in promoting the exciting possibilities of a career in STEM. Their common goal is to help nurture the next generation of innovators who can create meaningful change across industries and communities.
