”I have the best profession in the world!” Dr. Ekkehard D. Schulz is proud to be an engineer. For the Executive Board Chairman of ThyssenKrupp AG there are countless reasons to choose this profession. He has summarized the most important of them in a book launched today at Technische Universität Berlin. Its title: “55 reasons to become an engineer”. The launch was attended by German President Christian Wulff and 200 invited guests from the political, business and academic worlds.”55 reasons to become an engineer” is an impassioned plea and a declaration of love in one. Every day, engineers are involved in inventing new materials, technologies and processes, while at the same time proving themselves as outstanding managers and business people. The book shows countless examples of how engineers, often unseen by the public and in the face of resistance, develop machines and technologies whose importance in some cases only becomes apparent generations later. Whether it’s car manufacturer Gottlieb Daimler, printing press inventor Johannes Gutenberg or computer pioneer Konrad Zuse – their inventions not only made life easier, they inspired revolutions.The book launch was accompanied by an expert panel discussion on the subject of “Generating enthusiasm for technology, recruiting young engineers”: Together with Prof. Dr. Hans-Jörg Bullinger, President of Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Prof. Dr. Ursula Gather, Rector of Technische Universität Dortmund, Jugend forscht science competition winner Tobias Kaufmann as well as teachers, pupils and students, Dr. Schulz debated the glaring lack of engineers in Germany.Germany is still short of 50,000 engineers. Statistically speaking, for every engineering job another two people are employed in other areas, so the economic significance of this shortage is clear.”Evidently we have an image problem: Technicians rarely feature among our society’s top celebrities. Where are the engineers who are role models for young people and are regarded by our children and grandchildren as cool?” asked Dr. Schulz. “It’s up to all of us to generate enthusiasm for technology in children and young people!” But to generate that enthusiasm he believes that technology has to become more tangible and experienceable. Dr. Schulz: “Cars, airplanes, mobile phones: Technology is made by people for people. For that we need the right minds, the right ideas, the right education and of course entrepreneurship!”.The 255-page book (ISBN 978-3-86774-105-7) is published by Murmann Verlag, Hamburg, and goes on sale in bookstores priced 16 euros from September 23.
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