For International Women’s Day – Technical Degree Programs, also Something for Women

Name: Patricia Brandner
Dregee program: European Energy Business, part-time master’s/2016
Employer: Kelag
Position: optimization of power plants

• Why did you decide for a technical degree program at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol (FH Kufstein Tirol)?
  Practice-oriented degree-program content was important to me. Teachers from renowned companies meet this wish. FH Kufstein Tirol also offers future-oriented degree programs that equip you well for tomorrow’s labor market. Since I always had a weakness for technology and find the future challenges in this area exciting, the decision for this degree program was obvious. It is especially my goal to make a contribution to solving issues related to digital transformation and decarbonization.
• Have you always been interested in technology?
  When I was a child, I was already interested in technology. Back then like now I liked hands-on work, and I also sometimes fine-tune our vehicles with my father. I also used to participate in motorsport races. I get a lot of enjoyment when I am able to spend a vacation  off-road with an all-terrain vehicle.
• How did you prepare for the degree program?
  At the start of my bachelor program, I unfortunately did not have any previous knowledge related to the degree. However, thanks to my affinity to technology, I had a certain amount of understanding of the topics. I think that the amount of effort to learn in the first semesters was greater for me than for those who already had previous technical knowledge. But I was able to make a stark improvement in my knowledge with some hard work and especially with the help of my fellow students.
• Do you have the impression that it is something special to graduate from a technical degree program as a woman? How do you experience this every day in your courses?
  If you look back at the role of women a few decades ago, it is definitely something special to study at the university in this industry that is still dominated by men. I never noticed any advantages or disadvantages because of my gender during the degree program.
• To what extent, do you hope that the degree program influences your career?
  I am glad to be able to say that because of my part-time degree program I have been established in my professional life for some time. I successfully started my career thanks to my degree program, and I received an exciting job with a top company.
• What piece of advice can you give to women who are interested as well as to beginning students as a tip for their degree program or career?
  A career nowadays is a lot more than just working for monetary reasons. You do spend a lot of time at your job, and you should use your time in a way that is meaningful. I would advise anyone to use the vacation times in their degree program for internships in various areas. An internship allows you to find out relatively quickly what fits you and what doesn’t.