Yes, girls can!
On 28 April 2022, the day was a little bit different to other days at the four TECOSIM German locations Cologne, Munich, Hamburg and Stuttgart. The reason: a total of eighteen schoolgirls took the national Girls’ Day as an opportunity to ask probing questions, watch “old hands” as they set to work and learn about being a CAE engineer as a profession.
“Unfortunately, women, especially female engineers, are still a minority in mobility companies. At TECOSIM in Germany, women make up 22 percent of the workforce as a whole while a mere 16 percent of engineers are female. That needs to change,” affirms Kirstin Kasper, herself an engineer and the initiator of Girls’ Day across the different locations at TECOSIM.
Each branch centred on a different topic to show the variety. Cologne focused on crash simulation. Kirstin first gave a presentation on the company and explained what questions the experts in technical computer-aided simulation (CAE) are able to answer. She then used a sample to explain the difference between A, B and C pillars and how networking, i.e. dividing the component into different components, provides more detailed information about how components may behave. True to the maxim “Doing it yourself is better than simply listening”, to finish the day, the participants made cubes to see how the application of force has an effect on an element in a crash.
During a tour around the branch, the schoolgirls had the opportunity to look at computers over the shoulder of engineers as they worked. The questions were especially interesting at all workstations: how did the CAE specialists actually become CAE specialists? What skills are particularly important? What training do you need to undergo? You need to be interested in maths and science was one of the answers. An inquiring mind which wishes to delve deeper into a topic and learn more was another reply. And last but not least, studies in a scientific subject such as engineering, physics or mathematics form an excellent basis. But a career change is also possible, as reported by a CAE analyst who gained the required expertise through further training and practical experience.
The day finished off with a conference call between all four branches. During the call, participants at the other locations reported on their findings. The attendees in Munich showed how an egg needs to be packed to ensure that it won’t break when it falls into the inner courtyard from the first floor. In Stuttgart, the girls centred on how to simulate jumps with e-mountain bikes on the computer to help increase the long service life of e-bikes. In Hamburg, they looked at calculations for an exclusive VIP aircraft cabin.
“We set out to show the girls how varied engineering is as a profession and the opportunities that digitisation offers young women in particular. Today, there is no need to saw open a car with heavy-duty equipment to verify how safe its interior is. Moreover, you can allow your creativity free rein when looking for solutions to problems. That’s fun,” affirms Kirstin. “That’s why I wish to encourage young women interested in mathematics and technology to pursue a career in engineering.”
