On the annual Girls’ Day, thousands of companies open their doors to schoolgirls between the age of 10 and 17. On the agenda are practical tasks like planing, milling and soldering, and machinery, technologies and job profiles are explained in detail. On April 26, 2012, also Memmert welcomed two young girls to the Büchenbach production facilities. One student came from the Johann Sebastian Bach Gymnasium in Windsbach, another from the Adam-Kraft Gymnasium in Schwabach.
Young girls in Germany are often still afraid of taking a typical “male profession”. Traditionally, women become to a large extent teachers, nurses, childcare workers or hairdressers. In order to help schoolgirls overcome their reluctance to take up a scientific or technical profession, the Girls‘ Day has been organized annually all over Germany ever since 2001.
The two schoolgirls who spent their Girls’ Day on April 26, 2012 at Memmert were first given a short introduction of the Memmert portfolio in the Schwabach company headquarters before they were taken to the production facilities in Büchenbach. Every production step, from metal plate cutting to final assembly and testing, was explained in detail. But the best thing came at the end: The girls were allowed to drill, mill and operate the machinery on their own and even the equipment for water jet cutting was made available just for the girls. We interviewed both of them at the end of their Girls’ Day at Memmert:
What caused you to become interested in a male profession?
1) I want to do something practical. That means to take a “male profession” that women can do just as well.
2) That’s simply more interesting than a typical women's profession. I think practical work is better than just sitting around in the office.
Do you think that it is difficult to succeed in a classical male profession?
1) I think that as a woman, you can work well together with men. But right at the beginning, some men might not be so happy about it.
2) I think that might be so at the beginning but it gets better with time.
What did you particularly enjoy today?
1) The work that we were able to try out ourselves. Especially the afternoon in Büchenbach. Everybody of the staff was very nice and friendly. The lunch was also great.
2) Soldering and drilling and really everything that involved practical work that we were allowed to try out ourselves.
What will you take away with you from this day?
1) A new experience and a new option about what I could do after I graduate.
2) I certainly want to learn a practical profession with a lot of variety.
* Female/Male in %
• Beauticians
• Housekeeping and food management professions
• Childcare workers
• Nursing staff, receptionists
• Barbers, hairdressers
• Cleaning staff (interior)
• Nursing staff
• Sales staff
• School teachers
• Hotel and gastronomy professions
