How can the next generation of qualified professionals be secured in the long term? The best way is to allow young minds to experience the direct work environment for themselves! This is how Patrick Wattenberg, 18, completed his six-week internship at the Institute of Industrial IT (inIT) at TH OWL. Patrick is studying to become an "information technology assistant" at the Lüttfeld Berufskolleg and will graduate in 2023. During his internship at inIT, he gained a variety of insights into different areas of intelligent automation. Natalia Moriz, research group leader of the group "Networked Automation Systems", talked to Patrick on the last day of his internship at inIT:
How did you get the idea to apply to the University of Applied Sciences and Arts?
I have been interested in IT for years. In my family, I experience a practical use for it: My uncle has set up his house with a smarthome system, and I find it very exciting to observe how everyday life is made easier by having some tasks taken over by an assistance system. During my research, I discovered that I could gain initial experience in information and automation technology at the inIT in Lemgo, and I applied immediately.
What expectations did you have of the internship at inIT?
I was keen to get an insight into the development of IT solutions for industry.Sind deine Erwartungen in Erfüllung gegangen? Welche Aufgaben hast du übernommen?
Did your expectations become reality? What tasks have you taken on?
Yes, they are. At the beginning, I built and put into operation a sensor station in the working group (WG) "Networked Automation Systems". After that, I tested position recognition of objects and hand tracking with an assistance system in the "Human-Technology Interaction" working group. Next, I got an introduction to Grafana in the working group "Digital Communication Systems" and independently implemented the visualization of sensor values. Finally, I made first experiences in the field of image processing in the working group "Real-Time Image Processing" by successfully performing the recognition of different coffee cups using a camera.
What did you particularly enjoy about inIT?
I found all the tasks very exciting. Many thanks at this point to all the supervisors! What I most enjoyed was the working atmosphere at inIT, the friendly interaction with each other and working as part of a team.
Did your time at inIT have an impact on your future career plans?
The internship at inIT definitely showed me that I see my future in the IT sector. After I graduate from school, I'm initially aiming for an apprenticeship. After that, I might consider studying at TH OWL. We will definitely meet again in September, as it has already been decided that I will complete a second internship at inIT!
That's a good signal for us! Thank you very much for the interview and see you in September!