Young Talents in the Plastic Industry: "Technical Professions Offer Real Career Opportunities"
18.03.2026
Promoting talent, creating prospects, securing skilled workers: the plastics industry faces the task of getting young people interested in technical careers at an early age. At the same time, comparatively few young women still choose to pursue technical training. Selina Maget completed her training as a technical product designer with distinction and now works in design at WITTMANN BATTENFELD.
Why Young Talents Are So Important in the Plastics Industry Right Now
The demand for qualified skilled workers in the plastics industry is growing – at the same time, the number of suitable applicants is declining. Companies are therefore increasingly focusing on their own training programmes in order to secure long-term expertise in design, electrical engineering, plastics technology and IT.
We are noticing that the number of suitable applicants is declining overall. This means we have to be more active than before.
Andreas Schramm, Managing Director WITTMANN BATTENFELD Germany
At the same time, digitalisation and automation are changing technical job profiles. This makes it all the more important to get young people excited about the industry at an early age – and to specifically attract more girls and young women to technical training programmes.
In this interview, Selina talks about what technical training in the plastics industry actually looks like, the challenges she has overcome – and why initiatives such as 'Women in Plastics' are providing important impetus for the industry.
Technical Training in the Plastics Industry: Why Selina Chose This Path
Selina, why did you decide on technical training and, in particular, the plastics industry?
Selina: I am very interested in technology because technology is part of our everyday lives. We encounter electrical devices and mechanical machines everywhere, and I enjoy understanding how they work. In my job, I appreciate the variety between office work and practical work. I also like the mix of theory and practice. I draw the necessary knowledge from technical books and apply this knowledge in practice in my daily work. I also love that you can see the visible results of your own work.
From Technical Terms to Exam Stress: Challenges in Training
You completed your training with distinction – what was the biggest challenge along the way and what did you learn from it?
Selina: At the beginning of my training, it was a challenge for me to understand and correctly classify new technical terms and complex content. I had to work particularly hard to familiarise myself with electrical engineering, as this subject area was less familiar to me at the beginning.
However, thanks to the support of my colleagues, I was able to quickly improve my understanding. They took the time to explain the functions and interrelationships of the electrical components to me in a way that I could understand, enabling me to develop my technical skills.
In recent weeks, I have also faced the challenge of dealing with increasing exam stress. The closer the final exam date came, the more tension and nervousness increased. Here, too, I received a lot of support, especially from my colleagues in mechanical design. This enabled me to successfully overcome this phase as well.
Young Talents at VDMA
What is it? An initiative by VDMA for career guidance in mechanical and plant engineering
Target group: School pupils and young people about to choose a career
Objective: To raise awareness of technical apprenticeships, provide practical insights and promote exchange between schools and companies
Why Selina is involved: She wants to pass on her enthusiasm for technology and encourage young women in particular to pursue technical careers in the plastics industry.
Design, CAD and 3D Printing: Working Between Theory and Practice
You work in design today: What excites you most about your daily work and the connection between design and practice?
Selina: I love seeing the result of the finished assembly that I designed using the CAD programme. When the finished assembly is put together in the assembly department and everything works as I imagined it would, it's a great feeling. I'm also fascinated by the 3D printing processes we use here in-house.
Selina's Tips for Girls and Young Women Interested in a Technical Career:
1. Don't be put off by today's prejudices and clichés. Technical careers offer many exciting opportunities, varied tasks and real career prospects.
2. If you're still unsure whether you want to pursue a technical career, talk to women who are already working in a technical field.
3. Take a closer look at the profession with the help of an internship or a holiday job.
Recyclates, Creativity and Courage to Change: Selina's View of the Future of the Plastics Industry
When you look to the future, what would you like to see in the plastics industry – and what role do formats such as 'Women in Plastics' play in this?
Selina: Plastics are versatile, can be used in many areas of application and are often indispensable, for example in medical technology or when we think about sustainable mobility. That's why it's so important to recognise and promote the opportunities offered by recycled materials, both PIR and PCR. You need creativity and the courage to embrace change. Formats such as 'Women in Plastics' help to get more women excited about the plastics industry. I would very much welcome seeing more women in technical professions.
Editor: Elena Blume | K-Mag
Elena Blume has been writing for various industry magazines for eight years and joined the K-Mag editorial team in 2021. She is particularly interested in topics related to innovative plastics solutions that contribute to sustainability and address current challenges relevant to industry and society.
Key Takeaway:
Technical professions in the plastics industry offer young talents – regardless of gender – a wide range of development opportunities and real creative freedom.