Children at after-school day-care with their own toy car

The Sankt Sebastian children's daycare centre is participating in the "It works?!" project run by the Bavarian Educational Institute for Industry and Commerce. Schraml is providing the young handymen and women with support.

These days, everyday technology is commonplace for children, and the way they handle technical gadgetry sometimes amazes us adults. The spontaneous and unbiased interest of the boys and girls lies in their endeavours to find out how things works. Scientific curiosity, a spirit of discovery and the desire to do something themselves are natural characteristics of children. The "It works?!" project of the Bavarian Educational Institute for Industry and Commerce - participation in which is open to all Bavarian nursery schools, daycare centres and primary schools - builds on these characteristics.

The after-school day-care group "The Wily Foxes" - 13 children in years two to four - from the Sankt Sebastian children's daycare centre in Waldershof, is participating in the project. The young researchers and discoverers enjoyed the explanation they received about the planning, manufacturing and office communications departments at Schraml with excitement and curiosity. The children then had to choose what product they wanted to make. "The Wily Foxes" decided to build a toy car - and they also had a name ready for it. They christened it the "Fox Car".

In agreement with project manager Dominik Dittrich, training supervisor Jürgen Ott and company owners Alexander and Reinhold Schraml, the children had to engage in six interesting work steps. Five of these were to be carried out at Schraml, with the aim of teaching the children the interrelationships between planning, design, manufacture and administration. During this time the required tools were made by Schraml. Final assembly of the "FoxCar" then took place in Waldershof. Managing Director Alexander Schraml was pleased at the level of interest displayed by the after-school group and pledged his support for future activities of the Sankt Sebastian children's daycare centre.

For senior manager Reinhold Schraml, the "It works?!" project is tailored exactly to his company philosophy "We have been committed to Waldershof as a business location - and to the region's workforce - for many years. Maybe one or another of these little researchers will become a Schraml employee after they graduate from school."