EuroTeQ Collider x Public Makers

STEM for the Public: A Career with Impact

The overarching goal of our collaboration is to inspire a cultural and structural shift in how STEM graduates and young professionals perceive, engage with, and contribute to the public sector in Germany. Often viewed as bureaucratic, outdated, and resistant to change, the public sector receives limited engagement from potential candidates compared to the private sector, which is much more present in university life and actively interacts with and recruits students (for TUM, think about IKOM or hackaTUM). This perception overlooks the significant impact of public sector work on society and our democracy, the stability and benefits it offers to employees, and the opportunity for transformation as a new generation opens the door for a wide range of innovations.

The main objectives are:

1. Increased awareness: equip STEM students with a deeper understanding of the public sector’s functions, opportunities, and potential for impact, breaking down stereotypes and misconceptions.

2. Broader participation: encourage more STEM graduates and young professionals to see themselves as key players in the public sector, contributing their expertise to drive the needed innovation, efficiency, and progress in public services.

3. Empowered students: enable students to develop skills in problem-solving, policy innovation, and cross-sector collaboration, empowering them to take ownership of societal challenges and see themselves as part of the solution.

4. Innovative solutions: generate actionable, creative mechanisms or tools that address the barriers preventing STEM professionals – particularly young professionals and recent graduates – from engaging with the public sector.