(Frankfurt am Main, March 27, 2026) Germany needs skilled workers. Especially in a field with such a promising future as the energy sector, early investment in young, talented people is essential. However, many of these talents do not come from Europe and therefore often lack direct and easy access to our diverse higher education system.
The Power Engineering Society within VDE (VDE ETG) is also dedicated to promoting young international talent in the energy sector—in two areas, among others.
Support for the WiSE Initiative
For example, the VDE ETG supports the WiSE initiative to promote international female early-career professionals. The project emerged from the energy industry as an unconventional and practical way to attract international female professionals to the German energy sector. Currently, approximately 40 female scholarship recipients with Afghan citizenship are being supported as they complete paid, pre-study internships. These primarily take place in companies and research institutions within the energy and technology sectors.
Following a successful orientation phase, the crucial next step is now at hand: the transition to a regular degree program. In the coming months, the scholarship recipients will apply for university spots for the 2026/2027 winter semester—at the same time, they must secure funding for their studies. Companies interested in supporting the project can find further information, for example, on the ETG website.
The WiSE initiative is under the patronage of Thekla Walker, Minister for the Environment, Climate, and Energy in Baden-Württemberg. It was launched in April 2025 as a voluntary initiative by board members of the organizations CIGRE, VDE ETG, and The Collective Fund gGmbH (TCF).
The magazine brand eins has published a detailed report on the background of the WiSE initiative, which interested parties can read here.
Establishment of a Task Force
In addition to supporting the initiative, VDE ETG is establishing a task force titled “International Young Academics in the Energy Sector.” “We aim to create a network of university faculty and young professionals in the energy sector. This network is intended to assist interested talent from outside Europe in finding a suitable degree program within the German higher education system,” explains Dr. Ralf Petri, Managing Director of VDE ETG. “This gives universities a platform to present themselves outside Europe and attract students,” says Dr.-Ing. Britta Buchholz, Chair of the VDE ETG. Prospective students from abroad and experts from both the industrial and academic sectors are to be connected with one another. The plan is to involve companies in the energy industry at an early stage to convey real-world fields of activity and career paths in the energy sector.
The task force is scheduled to begin its work in the second quarter of 2026, with an initial kick-off meeting taking place on April 10, 2026, in Mannheim. Interested staff members from universities, the energy sector, industry, and NGOs with expertise in intercultural consulting are cordially invited to register with the VDE ETG for the task force.
