WILD is profiting from the exceptionally high concentration of educational institutions in Carinthia. The considerable pool of graduates completing their studies at various vocational secondary schools, universities and universities of applied sciences each year is a guarantee for future growth.

In the dynamic world of medical and optical industrial engineering, highly qualified specialists are the number 1 success factor. Companies established in regions with a high concentration of education and training institutions enjoy a competitive advantage. WILD is an example of just that. The Carinthia University of Applied Sciences and four higher technical schools generate around 600 graduates each year in a  radius of just 40 km from WILD GmbH and WILD Electronics. The region also includes the Graz University of Technology and the Alpen-Adria University of Klagenfurt – two important educational hubs whose technical studies provide for a broad qualification base. All in all, an immense pool of talent that WILD can draw from.

QUALITY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CARINTHIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
In particular the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences follows a practical approach in education and is well-connected with the local industry. ”As a result, we have access to graduates who possess excellent technical skills and are familiar with the latest technologies“, stresses Andrea Gritsch, Head of Human Resources at the WILD Group. In the areas of engineering, health sciences, business, and management alone, the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences currently offers 40 bachelor and master studies, as well as 50 upskilling programmes. They include medical engineering and analytics, systems engineering or mechanical engineering, which are ideally suited for WILD‘s requirements.

The Study & Work programme at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences is unique in Austria. Students at the university apply for a part-time job at a partner company in the region, which allows them to acquire professional experience in a sector relevant to their studies. This special job service offers companies the opportunity to establish early contacts with selected students, increasing the chances of later recruiting and retaining them. ”We received 15 applications last year“, says Gritsch. Peter Granig, Rector of the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, is equally appreciative of long-standing quality partnerships like the one with the WILD Group: ”Whether for work & study, employer branding activities, joint events or research projects, WILD has proven an excellent partner of our university. This kind of cooperation is essential for the exchange of knowledge, ideas and resources, and leads to mutual benefit and innovation.“

BASIC TECHNICAL TRAINING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
A specific feature of the Austrian education system are the so-called ”Höhere Technische Lehranstalten (HTLs)“,  vocational secondary schools that provide young people with comprehensive basic technical training after completing their lower cycle of secondary education. After five years, they graduate with a secondary school-leaving examination and a diploma examination. Internships and theses with practical sections are mandatory and provide additional insights into various disciplines. WILD also cooperates closely with these training institutions, such as HTL Mössingerstraße in Klagenfurt, where around 200 graduates per year are well-suited for covering the company‘s demand for experts in biomedical and healthcare technology, electronics and computer engineering, as well as electrical engineering. ”We place the focus of our cooperation on theses. A team of two to three students work on a project with a task determined by WILD for a period of one year. Our training staff and experts at WILD accompany the students throughout the project. One exemplary project dealt with the automation of a previously manual humidification procedure for the polishing system in fibre-optic cable production, aimed at increasing the quality of the fibre optic cables“, Director Hubert Lutnik explains.

Manuel Natali is someone who knows that this school ideally prepares students both for professional life and for a university career. He completed his extra occupational education at a HTL and went on to study biomedical engineering at the Technical University of Graz. ”During my studies, I was able to benefit from the practical experience obtained at WILD. Conversely, I acquired extensive expert knowledge at the HTL and during my university studies on the basic underlying principles of the devices we manufacture“, says Natali, who currently works as industrial engineer at WILD.

AHEAD IN THE RACE FOR TALENT
CTO Wolfgang Warum confirms that it is worthwhile opening the company‘s doors to high school and university students for internships, theses or field trips: ”We secure a competitive advantage in the race for the best minds by establishing early contacts to young people. When they later contemplate entering a professional career, they know that WILD offers exciting opportunities.“

HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE
Another reason for the large number of applicants – WILD hired 61 new staff in 2023 alone – is the attractiveness of Carinthia itself. ”The high quality of life, excellent leisure-time opportunities and a dynamic technological  environment, as well as an enticing research landscape help attract students, and also tempt graduates of renowned technical universities to return to Carinthia“, Andrea Gritsch explains.