BCIT welcomed a group of six visiting students, accompanied by instructor, Andreas Marx from Staatliche Berufsschule Bad Aibling (BSAIB) in Germany for a two-week exchange in the CNC Machinist Technician two-year diploma program. BSAIB is a public vocational school in Bavaria, the manufacturing and industrial hub of Germany, and provides training for mechanic and machinist students through the German system “Duale Ausbildung.” This system combines apprenticeship and vocational education – connecting students with industry and employers.
BSAIB initially reached out to BCIT International in March 2022 about a collaboration between our machinist programs. The focus was to build international partnerships and to provide students with exposure to other applied schools. After a year of discussion on a potential collaboration and a visit to the BCIT Burnaby Campus, sponsored by the Joachim-Herz-Foundation, an MOU was developed, negotiated, and signed on March 2, 2023 between BCIT International, the BCIT Machinist Group at the School of Energy, and BSAIB in Germany. The first-of-its-kind partnership, BSAIB’s partnership with BCIT was featured in German local and national printed and TV news media.
During the exchange at BCIT, the visiting students paired up with BCIT CNC Machinist Technician students, who are to be taught by BCIT instructor Marte Arreola. The students worked in groups of five (two BSAIB students and three BCIT students) to design and build a project to take back to Germany. The goal was to draft and produce precise fitting aluminum building blocks. The students worked together using computer aided drafting and manufacturing to complete their project. It was an enriching learning experience for all students as they each brought their unique skill sets to complement one another. Students from BSAIB and BCIT greatly enjoyed this opportunity to be immersed in different manufacturing strategies from halfway across the world.
Andreas Marx reached out to the Consul General of Germany, Mr. Marc Eichorn to inform him of the exchange with BCIT. Mr Eichorn gladly came to BCIT machine shop to see our program and meet the students and staff involved.
Overall, our collaboration with BSAIB allowed students to have a dynamic and international experience between schools, helped strengthened BCIT’s relationship with Germany, and showcased BCIT’s expertise. Given the success of this initiative, we are striving for the internationalization of various trade programs across the Institute moving forward.
