For Melanie Prutsch, this meant completing the preparatory course at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences alongside a full-time job – enabling her to take the step into higher education without a traditional school-leaving qualification.
This autumn, she is beginning her academic journey in building services engineering – a field that has fascinated her in her professional life for years. But anyone who thinks this path was always mapped out would be mistaken. After leaving school, the Styrian completed an apprenticeship in retail with a focus on footwear before gaining experience in retail and various office roles. Five years ago, she joined AMT Haustechnik in Kirchbach as a project assistant. Initially, she provided organisational support for projects involving installations, renovations and building services engineering. Over time, she gained increasingly detailed insights into technical planning and was eventually given the opportunity to manage smaller projects independently.
Few industries are as diverse as building services engineering. Heating, air conditioning, ventilation and sanitary systems interact seamlessly with electrical and control engineering. Keeping track of all these interfaces and bringing them together to create a perfectly coordinated, energy-efficient overall system is something I find incredibly fascinating
Melanie Prutsch, a first-year student on the Bachelor’s degree programme in Building and Energy Technology
When she realised she was reaching the limits of her technical knowledge, a colleague gave her the decisive push to explore building services engineering programmes at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences. There, she learned about the preparatory course for prospective students without a traditional school-leaving qualification. “I was immediately excited about the opportunity. I quickly knew that afterwards, I wanted to go on to study for the Bachelor’s degree in Building and Energy Technology.”
The past few months have been demanding. Alongside working full-time, Melanie prepared for the additional examination required to qualify for the Bachelor’s programme. “At first, adjusting to the amount of studying was a real challenge. But with good time management, I made it work.” Today, she looks back on this period with pride.
It is no coincidence that her friends describe her as highly ambitious. It is a quality that has also accompanied her in competitive horse riding and CrossFit. “When I set myself a goal, I see it through.” At the same time, she has learned to be realistic with herself on difficult days. “I tell myself: Yes, things are difficult right now. But better times will come again. That feeling of carrying on despite everything ultimately gives me so much more than giving up ever could.”
She is particularly looking forward to applying her new knowledge directly in her professional life. Her employer supports her studies and is pleased that Melanie will be able to bring up-to-date expertise into the company. The 30-year-old is especially fascinated by sustainable and energy-efficient building renovations: “I find it impressive how much potential there is in existing buildings. Developing existing structures from a technical perspective so that vacant properties can be transformed into modern, energy-efficient spaces is just one of the many exciting challenges in our industry.”
# Gepostet in:
Besondere Stories,
Vorbereitung auf die FH,
Alumni Stories,
StudentInnen,
Bachelorstudiengang Gebäudetechnik und Gebäudeautomation
