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Axalta Lays a Path for Student Success
Global coatings supplier Axalta Coating Systems is making an investment in the education of the industry’s future workforce.
On Tuesday (Sept. 29) Axalta signed a partnership agreement with Austria’s largest university of applied sciences to provide scholarship support as well as internship opportunities, the company said in a statement released that day.
According to the agreement, one student each year will be awarded an Axalta scholarship that will support him or her in pursuit of a three-year Bachelor of Science degree in High Tech Manufacturing at FH Campus Wien in Vienna, Austria.
Building a Successful Career
Kolja Hosch, head of Country Human Resources for Axalta’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region, said the industry needs workers who are proficient in STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—in order for it to continue to move forward and innovate.
“We want to offer students the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in these areas,” Hosch said, “and we are keen to back this support not only with Axalta’s own facilities and teams in Austria, but also with practical experience and advice.
“The students can then apply their theoretical knowledge in real life and build on the experience to establish a successful career,” she added.
In addition to the annual scholarship, Axalta will offer selected students internships in positions related to their fields of study. During the students’ tenure, senior management will take on supervisory and mentoring roles as the students prepare their final theses.
University students will also have the chance to tour an Axalta plant at either the Guntramsdorf site or the Refinish Training Center in Oeynhausen, both close to Vienna.
The agreement helps Axalta and the university achieve a common goal, according to Heimo Sandtner, the university’s vice rector for Research and Development and head of High Tech Manufacturing: “to give students the best chance of finding suitable work after they complete their degree,” he said.
The Axalta scholarship at FH Campus Wien is just one of a number of global education projects the company has entered into jointly with academic institutions worldwide, which are designed to promote and to build the skills to help young people meet the demands of the future job market.
About the Partners
The FH Campus Wien, the largest university of applied sciences in Austria, offers career-oriented and science-based education as well as training according to international standards.
Its focus is on applied research and development, with the participation of students and graduates. Students can choose from more than 50 bachelor and master study programs and master courses in the departments of applied life sciences, building and design, health, social work, engineering and the public sector.
Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, and sustainable solutions.
From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, its coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials to last longer.
