What you can see and experience, you can also dream of. The almost 70 girls who were guests on April 27 at the “Girls Day” at Opel headquarters saw and experienced them: female engineers, IT specialists, prospective mechatronics technicians – female role models in technical MINT professions (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, technology). Women showing that tech literacy isn’t tied to gender. “Especially in the MINT professions, we need young female talent in order to be able to successfully implement diversity as a cornerstone of the company’s success,” emphasizes HR manager Ralf Wangemann. Launched in 2001, “Girls’ Day” is now the largest careers orientation project for schoolgirls from the 5th grade worldwide.
Opel has been there since day one. Colleagues who got to know the automobile manufacturer as schoolgirls on the day of action have long been firmly rooted in the company. Just like Bianca Jennifer Gutt. As a member of the “Women of Stellantis” network (WoS), the future pricing analyst welcomed the girls this year in Rüsselsheim in the M 100 training area. “I can still remember how excited I was after that day,” she says. An enthusiasm that lasted and led her to the company in 2013. This year, too, the schoolgirls were able to test their technical skills directly on site and, among other things, experience the interaction of electrical engineering and mechanics during data measurement on the vehicle.
“I can still remember how excited I was after my ‘Girls’ Day’.”
Mixture of creative construction and planning: Opel trainer Carsten Zirkelbach (centre) has been supervising the technical product designers since 2017.
The colleagues from “Software X” give the girls insights into the future of vehicle software.
A highlight for Allegra (14): “The control component with compressed air that we built together with the mechatronics trainees.”
Bridget Philip
arouse enthusiasm
The “Software X” team provided an intensive insight into the future of vehicle software. “Whether parking assistance, comfort functions or driver assistance systems – vehicles are increasingly becoming rolling software products,” Birgit Filip explained to the girls. For this reason, the Opel parent company Stellantis started two years ago to set up digital hubs around the world. One of them is in Rüsselsheim. The aim of the digital hubs is to develop new AI-supported technology platforms: “Brain”, “Smartcockpit” and “AutoDrive” should enable over-the-air updates, bring digital life into the car and prepare for autonomous driving.
And the girls tried it out for themselves: with the help of modern software tools, they created their own algorithm – including determining the root and adding a constant. “I was very happy to see how enthusiastic the girls were about it,” says Birgit Filip. The physicist specialized in air conditioning technology at Opel for many years before joining “Software X” as a supervisor a year ago. “You don’t necessarily have to be a programmer to develop application software. There are many exciting tasks that we will get started together with colleagues in the USA, India or France,” she said to the girls. “And it is meaningful work – modern software plays a key role on the way to climate-neutral mobility.”
“It was great to see how excited the girls were about it.”
Hanna (13) has to do a school internship next year: “And Opel is now at the top of my list.”
The prospective technical product designers are experts in materials and manufacturing techniques: three-dimensional data models are created with the help of a CAD program.
Exciting insights: As an aspiring automotive mechatronics technician, Jule (left) becomes an expert in car maintenance, fault diagnosis and repairs. The focus of their training is on system and high-voltage technology.
Reduce fear of contact
Nina Thiele is convinced that the “Girls’ Day” can set decisive impulses: “Through practical experience you break down fears of contact.” An experience she made herself when she started internships at Opel, an automotive supplier, after graduating from high school and metalworking shops, approached her desired course of study, mechanical engineering. “I welded, soldered, screwed – the practical experience not only strengthened my desire to study, it helped me to better understand the theoretical content of the degree.” of the first designers at Opel in the design “to ensure that the ideas of the designers can also be technically implemented.”
Today she creates the “Product Performance Specification” for new models – “it’s a kind of contract between product marketing and engineering, in which it is recorded which requirements a future model must meet.” She is also one of the women who do that “Women Perspective Panel” (WPP) established at Opel. The working group, which provides impulses from the customer’s point of view throughout the entire development process, has been so successful that this type of panel has now been introduced throughout Stellantis. Nina Thiele: “The Women Perspective Panel is a good example of how many different ideas and experiences can make our products better.”
Nina Thiel
“Through practical experience, you reduce fears of contact.”
The girls were able to take the sticker with their own initials from the 3D printer home as a souvenir.
First name, last name belongs to the “Software X” team. It demonstrates how the air conditioning fan in the Opel Grandland can be controlled via PC.
Naomi (13) is enthusiastic: “I never would have thought that there were so many cool jobs at Opel.”
Betty Yagis
Experience female role models
“Female role models in technical professions are incredibly important and incredibly powerful,” says Betty Yagis. When she started studying media design, which is also one of the MINT subjects, she had no idea that she would find her calling in the automotive industry. It could also have been a job as a graphic designer. “It was only after us that I specialized – also through internships – in the technical focus of my studies, information technology and interactive media.” Today she is part of the user interface design team as Assistant Chief Designer.
In addition to drives and mechanical components, the intelligent usability of the cockpit is now the focus of development work. For example, Betty Yagis and her colleagues developed the Pure Panel in the new Astra. “It is an exciting process – the operation should be clear, unambiguous and intuitive. Whether it’s the graphics of the display controls or the ambient light in eight colors: in addition to technical knowledge, a great deal of creativity is also required.” Looking at her own career, she advises the girls to broaden their perspectives to include technical professions: “ Be open, dare – especially car-related jobs are currently more exciting than ever.”
“Be open, dare – especially car-related jobs are currently more exciting than ever.”
May 2023
Photos: Opel/Rudolf Mehlhaff, Christoph Adam