Skilled worker assurance in the high-tech sector – internationally recognized

The award winner Jens Hofmann, Chairman of the Board of the Association for Skilled Workforce Security proANH e.V., with the ANH Berlin team, from left to right: Sabine Harms, Uta Voigt, Jens Hofmann, Anja Quednau. (FBH/G. Gurr)

The IEEE Technical Skills Educator Award of the IEEE Photonics Society was awarded to Jens Hofmann, Chairman of the Board of proANH e.V. The Berlin-based association is a network of 26 institutions and a pillar of activities to secure skilled workers in the high-tech sector at the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut.

Jens Hofmann, Chairman of the Board of proANH e.V., was awarded the IEEE Technical Skills Educator Award. The IEEE Photonics Society presented the award last night during their annual conference in Orlando, Florida (USA). The jury justified their decision by highlighting the "bringing together of companies and institutes in innovative programs that enable professional changes in photonics." The renowned Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to promoting technologies for the benefit of humanity.

Jens Hofmann has been committed for many years to technical education in photonics. In 2019, he joined an initiative to further develop the training network ANH Berlin. "The award is a collective achievement and a great recognition for our diverse activities around training and further education, which we have established in the association with the four-member ANH Berlin team led by Uta Voigt," says Jens Hofmann. The skilled workforce network provides individual support and advice to companies and research institutions regarding training, continuing education, and professional development in the high-tech sector. From this engagement, the association proANH e.V. emerged, which has institutionalized these activities and co-founded by Jens Hofmann. At Toptica eagleyard, a spin-off from the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut in Berlin, Jens Hofmann leads process development and manufacturing technology. "Thanks to his dedicated efforts, proANH has now become a significant and important player in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, developing and offering high-quality technical education programs," praised Prof. Günther Tränkle, the scientific managing director of the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, in his letter of recommendation, highlighting Jens Hofmann's and the proANH team’s achievements.

Recruiting Young Talent & Exploring New Paths in Workforce Security

A focus of the application was the initiative launched by proANH e.V. called "Skilled Worker Electronics Manufacturing." Career changers are trained in the pilot project for specific tasks in cleanrooms or measurement laboratories. After the five-month qualification phase, participants gain a professional perspective in a forward-looking field. At the same time, the initiative aims to fill an important gap in workforce security within companies and research institutions. Members of the association designed the curriculum and offer a four-week internship. The Ferdinand-Braun-Institut also participated in the pilot project in cooperation with the Berlin South Employment Agency and took on a career changer after the internship.

The training network and the association's office are based at the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz Institute for High-Frequency Technology (FBH), and are supported by staff from the research institution. Through the network and as a member of the association, the FBH is committed to securing skilled workers in the region and promoting both academic and technical vocational talent in the high-tech sector.