From robot assignments to career opportunities: this is how I coach students at Summa Engineering

The Brainport region offers a wide range of positions and jobs at the intersection of technology and other disciplines, now and in the future. Thousands of jobs will be created at companies in the region in the coming years. But who will train these new employees? What about training opportunities for future technical personnel? At PTH, the Pedagogical Technical College Teachers are trained to prepare the new generation of technicians for a challenging career in technology. Dennis Pantus (32) is one of them.

Dennis is still busy. Toblerone bars lie on the tables in the lab. Dennis laughs. "Assignment for the students," he says. "They're going to make a tool for a robotic arm to transport the bars from A to B. It's really great to see how differently the groups approach such an assignment. My role? Observe, answer questions, and occasionally point them in the right direction. It's fantastic."

Dennis clearly enjoys his profession. He teaches Mechatronics at the Summa Engineering program. "I primarily teach control engineering and electrical engineering. This is a level 4 program that takes four years. Students can specialize in manufacturing, including machine component production and installation technology. Once they're finished, they'll have a solid foundation to work in a company and deepen their knowledge."

That Dennis would end up working in education was actually a surprise. At Stedelijk College in Eindhoven, he had a technical background in high school. "I was tinkering with scooters and cars from a very young age. I loved making something and then seeing the results immediately. Tuning up a small engine and suddenly going much faster—that's satisfying."

After finishing high school, Dennis enrolled in Fontys Automotive Engineering. It wasn't a success. Dennis: "I found the theory quite tough, and I missed the interaction with people. After several conversations with lecturers, I switched to what was then called Automotive Education, the teacher training program in motor vehicle technology at PTH."

That program clearly suited me better. Still, Dennis didn't immediately consider a career in education. "I felt you couldn't get into education until you had extensive experience in the business world. What I did enjoy was coaching employees within a company. So, working with technology myself while also training and coaching people—that's what I found interesting."

Dennis enjoyed teaching at PTH. "The teachers were open to their own input, and the internships were also enjoyable. My first internship was at a pre-vocational secondary school. I enjoyed that internship, partly because I learned how to manage a class. I wasn't as enthusiastic about the target group. I spent a lot of time on pedagogy and parenting, and much less time on technical content."

The following year, Dennis started as an intern at Summa Automotive. A turning point in his career. "Definitely," he reflects. "It's fun to talk about technical topics and problems with these motivated students." A mid-year internship in the business sector tipped the scales even more in favor of teaching. "I found it quite monotonous at the company. Everything was standardized. I couldn't really express myself there."