26/07/2016
Cooperative education with Voith - Interview with Lukas Leitenberger
Lukas Leitenberger is Informatics student at DHBW in Heidenheim. He has already worked in several departments at Voith and also completed a traineeship in China. In our interview he talks about his studies.
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- Zur Großansicht
What do you find so fascinating about your study course?
The majority of all fundamental technologies which we take for granted today are based on traditional and solidly proven innovations of technical informatics. This study course does, for example, not ask how a programming language is used, but why and how it works. This methodical approach provides a deeper understanding of computer technology and allows arriving faster at new solutions that are based on established and proven technologies. The informatics study course begins with the introduction of electro-technical basics, which are then linked with information technologies before they are merged into pure informatics. For me, the most fascinating aspect of technical informatics is the logical setup of computer systems and how they can perform lots of jobs through self-developed algorithms.
Which of your hobbies / characteristics are helpful in your job?
The classic stereotype that informatics engineers sit in front of a computer all day in dark cellars is totally old-fashioned. In a company, informatics specialists provide an interface with lots of processes. We offer solutions for our customers and each and every system is connected with at least one different one. I therefore think that my strong communication skills help me to get all information that is necessary for optimum and reliable problem solving quickly and comprehensively. My passion for puzzle solving also helps. It rarely happens that a solution works from day one. And then one must not put one’s head in the sand but research and think outside the box until the problem has been identified and eliminated.
What are the pros and cons of your studies?
A definite plus is that you are soon assigned interesting tasks during the practical phase at Voith and thus quickly become part of challenging projects. During my studies I was thus able to get to know many different departments and gather a wide range of practical knowledge. If there is a downside, it probably is the induction phase in each and every department. It always takes at least two weeks until you find your way and are able to work properly with the others. A positive feature of the university is that the class sizes are low. In addition, the faculty itself is quite small, making all interaction more personal. The professors offer individual mentoring and support. At the beginning, this study course is definitely demanding, but things are getting easier later on. In general, the theoretical phase of the study course is very time-intensive; a lot of information has to be absorbed in a very short time. For this reason there isn’t always time to get deeper into certain subjects. But with a bit of initiative you can catch up on these during the practical phase. And although the changes between the individual phases can be quite exhausting, there is also a positive aspect to it: it is never boring. And since both the Voith head office and the DHBW in Heidenheim are located in Heidenheim, you only need one place to live and don’t have to move.
Would you decide in favor of a DHBW study course again?
There are several reasons that are clearly in favor of studying with DHBW. On the one hand there is the intensive mentoring and the support by the company and DHBW. In addition there is the thorough, high-quality theoretical training. The outstanding professors are acknowledged scientists who have spent some time in industry and therefore know what is relevant in practice. Even if studying informatics can be quite theoretical, there is a strong connection to reality due to the practical study phases. To me, the DH Cooperative State University means first-class studies with a practical insight, and therefore I would go for it again at any time.
Many thanks for the interview!
