Fraunhofer IZM has been actively encouraging young people to take up careers in technology for some years. The number of qualified applicants for technical professions has been declining and the trend is expected to continue due to shifting demographics. For this reason, Fraunhofer IZM holds a variety of events for young people about educational opportunities in technical careers.

Ten year-nine students from Gottfried-Keller Secondary School in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf received a behind-the-scenes look at Fraunhofer IZM's research. After a general introduction to the institutes different working areas, the teenagers visited various laboratories, including the Security Lab, which Fraunhofer IZM operates together with Bundesdruckerei, the newly established laboratory for predicting product lifecycle and the clean room.

Focus of the tour was the mobile phone, a product with which each of the visitors was very familiar. What does a mobile phone comprise? What is needed to make more and more functions fit into such a tiny device? What does circuit and antenna design have to do with the size of the phone? And how does the scientists' research contribute to making components more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and using fewer resources in their manufacture? The IZM scientists answered these and other questions from the teenagers. The students also disassembled phones for a closer look at the individual components and design.

By the end of the busy day, more than a few of the visitors were contemplating a future career in technology. The IZM staff also enjoyed the visit by the enthusiastic youngsters: "Ive never seen so many girls enthusiastic about technology", said Uwe Maaß, who gave the introduction to the basics of circuit design.