More than 700 children and young people attended RIC2School workshops across the country during the summer vacations. A new booking record for the NAWITECH educational offer of the Regional Innovation Center (RIC). Upper Austrian leading companies, as well as municipalities and education providers, relied on the innovative MINT program for their vacation care offerings.

How does programming work? What can a collaborative robot do? And how do you work with a "3rd hand"? These and other technical questions were addressed by 734 participants in 37 workshops - four times a week on average - together with experienced RIC2School trainers during the summer vacation. With a lot of know-how and commitment, children and young people throughout the country were able to immerse themselves in the exciting world of science and technology.

Vacation offers from Bad Leonfelden to Hallstatt to Bergheim to Krems

In addition to large-scale events lasting several days, such as the Children's University of Upper Austria or the Young University of the Krems University of Applied Sciences, the RIC2School workshops were also booked by leading companies and municipalities throughout Upper Austria and Salzburg for their vacation care programs. Exactly where RIC2School stopped this summer can be tracked in the virtual RIC2School Map.

"The enormous interest in our NAWITECH workshops confirms our strategy of finding tomorrow's talent today with exceptional learning opportunities," says RIC CEO Peter Landl. "This requires an innovative concept, uncomplicated implementation and professional trainers with the necessary pedagogical background to teach science and technology in an age-appropriate and interesting way. We deliver this total package, and that makes us attractive to companies, education providers and municipalities that want to offer innovative childcare programs!"

Extraordinary workshops impart technical know-how

Extraordinary, age-appropriate, with its finger on the pulse - these are the core elements of RIC2School's didactic concept. For example, children from the 1st grade of elementary school learn their first programming skills in a playful way with Lego WeDo 2.0. Basic handicraft skills such as cutting, drilling and wiring are taught while building their own SSV with electric drive. Students in secondary school and above learn what mechatronics actually means, how a circuit works and how to solder safely with their "3rd hand" while building their own workpiece (Maze Cube).

Another highlight of RIC2School is the TECVan. In the mobile technology lab, the tech talents of tomorrow can try out laser cutters, 3D printers and collaborative robots together with RIC trainers and discover how these technologies are used in the increasingly digital world of work.

Back to school from vacation

The encouraging results after the summer also bode well for the upcoming school year. "We are looking forward to being back on the road in schools after the vacations with our NAWITECH workshops," says RIC2School coordinator Carina Straßmaier. "What teachers particularly appreciate about our offer is that we come directly to the classroom with the learning materials and all the equipment, and our workshops can be easily integrated into the lessons."

All information about the RIC2School workshops can be found on the RIC website. We are also looking for dedicated trainers who enjoy working with children and young people.