Curiosity pays off during the semicon-track

After completing her graduation project at Festo, Corina completed her Master’s in Next Level Engineering. She already had a background in Industrial Design Engineering and felt confident in her design skills. Yet she felt something was still missing. She wanted to further develop her engineering skills. The Semicon Track immediately caught her attention. “I had always wondered how the technology we use every day, such as smartphones, computers and cars, is actually made.” 

Learning through practice 

During her final semester, Corina worked on her graduation project at Festo, a company focused on industrial automation. Broadly speaking, her project involved designing a test setup for a valve under high temperatures and extreme conditions. 

“I started with limited knowledge of the field”, Corina explains. That is precisely why the guidance at Festo was so important. She found herself in an environment surrounded by experts and engineers who took the time to explain processes and terminology. Whenever she had a question, someone would help her or refer her to the right expert. 

Festo also considers this guidance essential. According to her supervisor, Max van den Berg, you cannot simply “throw a student in at the deep end.” A graduation student needs an anchor point: there needs to be room to ask questions, discuss progress and work together to determine what is needed to move forward. 

Daring to ask questions 

Looking back, Corina is particularly proud of how much she grew. She learned more about particles, valves and materials, as well as the reasoning behind technical decisions. But above all, she gained confidence. 

“I’m proud that I wasn’t afraid to ask questions”, she says. At first, this felt challenging, especially in an environment with people who had years of experience. Yet she soon noticed that the experts and engineers actually appreciated her curiosity. 

Max recognizes this as well. He describes Corina as a student who genuinely wanted to learn and discover new things. Her attitude stood out in a positive way. His advice to students reflects this: “Be curious. Ask questions and keep looking for what you don’t know yet.” 

Valuable for both student and company 

According to Corina, the master’s programme offers opportunities to visit companies, work on projects, build professional connections and gain practical experience. That hands-on experience made her graduation period particularly valuable. She not only learned more about technology, but also gained experience working in a professional environment. 

The collaboration also benefited Festo. Corina did not just write a report for university; she also produced a report that could be used by the client. Her story shows how a graduation project can create value for both the student and the company. 

Advice for future students 

According to Corina, students do not need to start out as experts. “If you’re interested in engineering, you should definitely take this programme”, she says. “You’ll expand your network, sharpen your skills and gain new knowledge. Above all, stay open-minded, ask questions and remain curious.”