University and school partnerships
Michael Ende Grammar School (MEG), Tönisvorst

A long-term regional industrial partnership between ARCA and the MEG has existed since 2013. The aim is to prepare school pupils for the professional world of the 21st century and to arouse interest in the diverse tasks in industry.

The Michael Ende Grammar School in Tönisvorst with about 1,000 pupils has a bilingual branch of education (German/English) and has recently established itself as a MINT-EC school. At the same time, the school strives to improve the interlinking of industry and school.

The objectives of the industrial partnership include the following:

• Linking theory and practice through excursions and company tours
• Offering technical internships
• Conducting expert presentations and participating in discussion rounds
• Technical reference books for the library
• Award for outstanding achievements in the MINT profile and bilingual branch
• Assumption of costs of exercise material for remedial lessons
• Participation by ARCA in the information evening on studies and career choice
• Other projects, school programmes and working groups by arrangement

The partnership with the Michael Ende Grammar School is part of the successful cooperation network “Company/School Cooperation in the Lower Rhine Region”.

MINT certificates and MINT-EC certificates awarded again for special achievements

As part of a sponsoring partnership with the Michael Ende Grammar School (MEG) in Tönisvorst, Arca has already presented awards for above-average achievements in the so-called MINT subjects (Mathematics, Information Technology, Natural Sciences and Technology). Arca is particularly interested in creating the foundations in the field of natural sciences and technology. MINT certificates are awarded at the end of the 9th school year, while MINT-EC certificates are the highest award for school pupils for the MINT subjects and are awarded with the qualification for university entrance.

The annual award is intended to further encourage and motivate young people who are interested in technology. In addition, Arca would of course like to be remembered as a company, should the later professional career point in the direction of technology and mechanical engineering.

Departmental excursion continues its successful cooperation

The long-term industrial partnership between the MEG and ARCA has already gone through various projects, such as participation in information evenings for the choice of study course or occupation, or the presentation of awards for outstanding performances in the MINT subjects (Mathematics, Information Technology, Natural Sciences and Technology). An excursion by the Department of Physics (9th year) of the Michael Ende Grammar School (MEG) in Tönisvorst to Arca also takes place regularly.

The half-day programme is designed to show pupils the practical relevance of the theoretical principles that they have already learned. Terms of measurement and control technology are explained, as well as the operation of a control valve, and then substantiated during a tour of the company. At various stations, specific topics are addressed again and finally all open questions are answered. For everyone involved, this is always an interesting morning with exciting insights into professional practice.