Surrounded by legendary automotive icons at the National Automotive Museum – The Loh Collection, ITQ GmbH and the Friedhelm Loh Group GmbH demonstrated on 9 and 10 December 2025 what modern talent development can look like. 200 students from the Lahn-Dill district immersed themselves in some 30 hands-on workshops, programming robots, building sensor systems, and exploring sustainable energy and environmental technologies. At the same time, 15 apprentices of the Friedhelm Loh Group were trained for the first time as technical coaches, integrating them into ITQ’s well-established coach-the-coach concept.

On the opening day, ITQ engineers and students trained the selected Loh apprentices in robotics, programming, mechanics, and energy and environmental engineering – knowledge the newly qualified coaches applied the very next day while supporting student workshops. A subsequent networking event brought together experts from industry and academia to discuss effective strategies for contemporary STEM education, followed by an exclusive guided tour of the Loh Collection.

On the second day, young technology enthusiasts aged 12 to 16 ventured into robotics, programmable microcontrollers, sustainability models, and much more. The teams were supported by both ITQ coaches and the newly trained Loh apprentices. Particularly popular were robotics workshops featuring mBot, LEGO Mindstorms and KARL by MEDION, programming workshops using Arduino and Minecraft Education, as well as sustainability technologies such as hydrogen models and demonstrators from the EU-funded EduDemoS project on energy and environmental innovation. The program was complemented by interactive showrooms including the “Digital Petting Zoo” and the “Kinect Robot Battle” as well as a gearbox assembly by SEW-EURODRIVES.

“Inspiring young people with technology strengthens Germany as an innovation hub. With around 120 events, we have reached more than 20,000 people in almost 30 locations across the country. These formats help build the skilled workforce we urgently need. If more companies follow this path, enthusiasm for STEM will continue to grow sustainably,” said Rainer Stetter, Managing Director of ITQ GmbH and founder of the “Technology is Fun!” foundation.

The event underscores ITQ GmbH’s long-standing commitment to practice-oriented STEM education and reflects its continued efforts to expand its impact nationwide. At the same time, the collaboration with the Friedhelm Loh Group GmbH reinforces a shared vision: inspiring young people early on to pursue technical careers and engage with innovative technologies. The National Automotive Museum – The Loh Collection provided a unique setting that offered an inspiring connection between technological history and forward-looking innovation.

“Our shared goal is to spark enthusiasm for technology, mobility and innovation among young people. The collaboration with ITQ has impressively demonstrated the impact that hands-on STEM education can have. With this event, we are sending a clear signal for talent development in Central Hesse,” said Daniel Wirth, Head of Professional Education Programs.

This education event forms part of the ITQ roadmap “CirQmind – Circular Economy through Circular Society,” which includes various international education and technology initiatives running through 2027. The next stations include the SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON in Gran Canaria in February 2026, as well as additional MAKEATHONS at leading international trade fairs such as interpack 2026 and automatica 2027.