Our bachelor graduate Marie Henning was awarded for her bachelor thesis by the Unternehmensverband Westfalen Mitte

Marie, why did you start as a dual student at BJB?

I applied to several companies in the area for a dual study program, but BJB has a very good reputation when it comes to apprenticeship in the industrial sector. BJB has an in-house training workshop area where the trainees and apprentices can learn and gain experiences directly in a practical way. In addition, BJB had the advantage that the studies programme took place during the week and not on the weekends, as is the case for most dual courses of study. I spent 1 day a week at BJB and 4 days a week at the university. During my semester breaks, I was able to work full-time at BJB.

You successfully completed your bachelor's degree in mechatronics with a focus on lighting systems engineering. What appeals to you about this field of work?

I wanted to do something technical, and it was very important to me that I do something where you can see what you've done and don't spend the whole day in front of the computer. Especially the interaction of mechanics, electrical engineering and computer science was very exciting. In the meantime, this field has expanded to include optics, which I was able to choose during my studies.

What do you particularly like about our company BJB?

As already mentioned, BJB offers very good apprenticeships. I felt very comfortable and supported during my studies and my colleagues were available whenever I needed their help. We have a very familiar atmosphere within the department. I was able to constantly use my acquired knowledge in the field of development and it was a lot of fun. Furthermore, I was supported by BJB and had the possibility to work from home and was very flexible regarding my working hours.

You won a prize with your bachelor thesis. What kind of competition did you take part in?

Every year at its general meeting, the Westfalen-Mitte Business Association awards three prizes to students who have written an outstanding thesis with particular practical relevance. The jury consists of representatives of the university, the companies and the business association. The departments of Electrical Power Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences in Soest and the Department of Engineering and Economics at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences in Meschede as well as the Hamm/Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences participate in this competition. The prize relates to completed bachelor thesis.

For the participation in the competition I was asked by my professor to write a summary of my bachelor thesis. In the competition I won the 3rd place and received a prize money of 1.500€.

To what extent has the method you developed already been applied?

By writing my bachelor thesis at BJB, some of the things I worked out during the thesis could be taken into account. The goal now is to apply the test person trials and the simulations in Dialux, which was used to simulate space and light, to future procedures.

After completing your bachelor's degree, what areas of responsibility have been assigned to you?

Since my BA degree, I have been more deeply involved in optics development. This area includes the development of lenses for optics, photometric measurements of light distribution curves, color values, color temperatures, as well as their evaluation. I have also been assigned higher-revenue projects, which shows that my colleagues have confidence in me and highly value my work.

Marie has already passed her bachelor's degree in March 2021. In the winter semester 2021/22, she started her master's degree at the TU Ilmenau in the field of optical systems engineering / optronics and is currently in her 2nd semester. She is still working at BJB, sometimes on site and sometimes in the home office from Ilmenau.

Thank you for the great insights, Marie!

We wish you all the best for your Master's degree.

Your BJB Marketing Team