(Frankfurt a. M., 10.07.2025) A shortage of skilled workers, a lack of young talent and a changing world of work: the VDE sees these not only as challenges, but also as a task to shape the future. The VDE Study, Career and Society Committee, which is dedicated to precisely these topics, plays a key role in this. With Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kira Kastell as the new chairperson, the committee will receive fresh impetus and in-depth expertise. The Professor of Electrical Engineering and President of Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences has a clear vision: "We need to show how relevant and creative electrical engineering is to everyday life and that it can make concrete contributions to solving pressing problems. Technology is not an end in itself, but a tool for a better future."
From the nursery to the classroom
A key concern of the new Chairwoman: Starting technology education at an early age. "We need more enthusiasm for technology – and that doesn't just start at university," says the president of a technical university. Kindergartens and schools in particular need to be brought on board to make technical professions accessible to children and young people and to inspire the urgently needed skilled workers of tomorrow for electrical engineering.
The aim must be to modernize the image of electrical engineering: creative, relevant to everyday life, meaningful. It is crucial to make concrete job profiles visible and to show young people the exciting opportunities that electrical engineering offers – from areas such as the energy transition and environmental protection to medicine, mobility and digital communication.
Technology as part of the solution – not the problem
However, the committee also wants to reach out to the wider society beyond schools and education. In a time of demographic change, electrical engineering and related disciplines can help to close gaps. Automation, digital assistance systems and augmented reality applications can relieve the burden on workers and make them more productive. It's about technical support, not job losses. "This is a central narrative that we need to retell," says Kastell, a long-standing VDE member.
Appeal to young people: Technology is teamwork – and is changing the world
Kastell also has a clear message for young people: "Technology is not a lone wolf project. You work in teams, interdisciplinary, creative – and have the chance to make a direct positive impact on society." According to Kastell, it is crucial to consider the needs of users right from the development stage. "Those who shape technology shape the future. And that's more exciting than many people think."
About Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kira Kastell
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kira Kastell studied electrical engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Frankfurt am Main and the University of Hagen and completed her doctorate at the Technical University of Darmstadt. Prior to this, she also graduated in business administration and economics.
After completing her doctorate, she moved into university teaching: first as Professor of Mobile Communication in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Precision Engineering at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Berlin and then as Professor of Transmission Technology in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (now Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences). In 2021, she took over as President of Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences.
She has also been Chair of the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology Faculty Council since 2019, a member of the Board of ASIIN, the accreditation agency for degree programs in engineering, computer science, natural sciences and mathematics, since 2021 and Chair of the Board of the University Alliance for SMEs since 2023.
About the Study, Career and Society Committee
Whether artificial intelligence, the energy transition or electromobility: VDE represents important developments not only from a purely technical perspective, but also with regard to education, career issues and the importance of technical developments for society. This is why the VDE's Study, Career and Society Committee deals with questions such as: What image do electrical engineers have? How can we get young people interested in technology and the engineering profession? And how do new trends affect the course?
From the framework conditions for studying electrical engineering and information technology and the repercussions on school issues and career entry to the requirements of companies for various engineering professions and the labor market situation for engineers: in the VDE Committee for Studies, Careers and Society, the experts bundle all these topics and are available to advise companies and politicians.
