Since 2004, each year at FH CAMPUS 02 has been supported by so-called Captains. As mentors and points of contact for students, Captains play a crucial role at FH CAMPUS 02. They come directly from the Styrian business community, offering fascinating insights into their work and sharing valuable experiences with their proteges. Throughout the course of the programme, Captains give lectures, host a so-called Captain’s Dinner for students, offer office hours for consultation, and serve as keynote speakers at their respective year's graduation ceremonies.

Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. (FH) Markus Skof is Vice President of Warehouse Management Solutions and Managing Director of Jungheinrich System Solutions GmbH. The Graz subsidiary of the internationally active Jungheinrich AG is involved in software development in areas such as warehouse management, material flow, and control technology. At FH CAMPUS 02, Markus Skof serves as Captain for the Bachelor's programme Automation Engineering 2017.

What is special about this model?

It's great that there is this connection between the industry and the degree programme. Due to the part-time nature of the Automation Engineering programme, this connection is already inherent. However, as a Captain, one can provide students with additional insights beyond their own company's perspective, which they can ideally bring back to their own workplaces in a beneficial way. This applies to both directions – I also benefit from the technical and personal exchange with the students and value it.

What was decisive for you in deciding to take on this role?

I considered it very carefully for a while. Initially, I consulted with Mr. Traussnigg (Head of the Automation Engineering programme) to understand the responsibilities of a Captain and the opportunities available for involvement. Based on this foundational concept, I then deliberated on how I could genuinely add value throughout the entire course of study. Ultimately, I concluded that through my own approach to mentoring, I could support and enhance students' education to achieve that added value for them. The opportunity to make a positive impact on students' education motivated me to take on the role.

How do you envision shaping your time as a Captain?

I believe it's crucial, especially in a part-time study programme, to use the available time for events and projects in such a way that it maximises value for students without requiring additional time commitments. I firmly believe that good outcomes come from three ingredients: time, space, and method – and in part-time studies, time is especially precious. For instance, we utilized the scheduled company presentation time to set up camp at Spacelend and organize a startup event with IdeenTriebwerk Graz together with the students. One of the aims here was to generate ideas that could later be implemented by project teams within the curriculum. Additionally, I hope to enrich students' experiences by sharing tips from my extensive professional background.

What personal benefits do you derive from this role?

It's exhilarating for me to see the enthusiasm with which the students participated in the workshops. Their enthusiasm, innovation, creativity, and personal interaction enrich me naturally as well. Moreover, they broaden my own perspective. I'm eager to see what else we will encounter on our journey together.

What qualities do you believe make a good Captain?

In management training at Jungheinrich, I learned that a Captain always plays multiple roles. There is the Captain-Captain who must give clear instructions when the ship is in a storm to steer it back on course. In addition to this, there is also the Captain-Coach who fosters personal development and allows for decisions, thereby enabling team members to succeed on their own. Every good Captain applies the appropriate methods in each situation to achieve the best possible outcome. In this case, I quickly agreed with the students that as a Captain of a programme, the Captain-Coach role would likely be the most promising.

FH CAMPUS 02 thanks Mr. Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. (FH) Markus Skof for his valuable input and wishes him and his cohort many more positive shared experiences!