The SICP - Software Innovation Campus Paderborn at Paderborn University has been supporting particularly committed students at Paderborn University for three years with its Digital Talents Program, who are involved in the digitalization of the economy and society beyond their studies and who later aspire to a specialist or management career. This exclusive program is supported by renowned practice partners from the ranks of SICP member companies. By participating in the program alongside their studies, students can gain an early insight into the practice of companies and orientation for their personal professional future in discourses and workshops.
The Digital Talents Program offers students valuable opportunities for personal growth on a professional and personal level. The mentoring program, designed by experts from the participating companies in the region and far beyond the borders of East Westphalia-Lippe, serves as inspiration for personal career planning. With this professional foundation, the so-called DIGITALENTS, the participants of the program, can build a sustainable network in science and practice that supports their career development. "The program increases the attractiveness of Paderborn as a university location, especially for prospective students. Our aim is to provide the students who take part in our program with excellent qualifications and to bring them into contact with companies during their studies so that they stay in the region after their studies. We are making an enormously important contribution with our program, particularly with regard to the shortage of skilled workers," explains Prof. Dr. Dennis Kundisch, Academic Director of the program and Professor of Business Informatics at Paderborn University.
"The DIGITALENTS receive further training in the areas of personal development and digital skills and undergo various practical units, consisting of a case study for Bachelor's students and an individual mentoring program by experienced managers from the field for Master's students," says Prof. Dr. Dennis Kundisch. The participating students also complete a two-month industrial or research internship at one of the companies or chairs involved in the program. In addition to further training and practical units, the program also aims to promote mutual networking through social events. "I took part in the Digital Talents program because I wanted to develop professionally and personally and establish contacts with companies. The mentoring and the exchange with companies and students, such as at the exclusive Industry Insights events, were particularly valuable for me," says Sarah Claudia Krings, a graduate of the program and research assistant in the SI Lab at the SICP.
Third year starts with 16 new DIGITALENTS
In December 2023, the third year of the SICP Digital Talents Program started with 16 students from Paderborn University. The participating companies include achelos, Arvato, CLAAS, Diebold Nixdorf, dSPACE, Finanz Informatik, GOLDBECK, Miele, OPTANO, REMBE Safety+Control, ScMI Scenario Management International and Weidmüller. The new DIGITALENTS and the representatives of the participating companies got to know each other at the joint kick-off at the beginning of December.
To get a first impression of each other, the new DIGITALENTS and the participating company representatives introduced themselves to each other with the help of individual hashtags that described themselves or the respective companies. This was followed by speed dating between the companies and the students. Dr. Stefan Rüsenberg, CTO at REMBE, gave a keynote speech on the topic of "Megatrends as drivers of transformation agility - (K)eine Frage der Unternehmensgröße!". Prof. Dr. Dennis Kundisch then presented the content of the program and the events that are already planned for the coming year. The meeting concluded with a group task, the "Egg Drop Challenge", which new and old DIGITALENTS had to solve together with the company representatives. The aim was to use as little paper as possible to build a structure that would protect a raw egg from breaking when it was dropped from a height of three meters.
Further information: www.sicp.de/qualifizierung
