
Nurturing Girls’ Interest in Engineering: PALFINGER and MINTality Promote STEM Topics at an Early Age
At a kick-off event in Lengau in December 2024, PALFINGER marked the start of a strategic partnership with the MINTality Foundation. MINT stands for STEM in German, and the aim of the partnership is to get girls and young women excited about STEM subjects at an early age, and to encourage women in technical professions over the long term.
“Girls are essential for us because, as women, they represent 50% of the pool of skilled talents,” says Maria Koller, CHRO PALFINGER. “A huge advantage is that they bring with them a networked, communicative approach. We support the MINTality foundation because it removes some of the stumbling blocks that prevent girls from becoming interested in STEM jobs. PALFINGER has a strong footprint and benefits from industry in Austria and working together with MINTality is an opportunity for us to give something back.”
Inputs for a diverse future: industry for industry project
The partnership between PALFINGER and the MINTality foundation was created as part of an initiative by the Austrian Industrial Federation with the aim of encouraging young people with talent to counteract the shortage of skilled workers. Together with other well-known Austrian companies, this is intended to create a sustainable platform for female STEM professionals and unleash the full potential of the labor market over the long term. Women account for 50 percent of the available talent pool, which is an enormous potential that has so far remained untapped in technical professions.
“Networking industry, educators and government institutions increases awareness of STEM topics so measures to encourage female professionals can be implemented. If we manage to open up the mindset of young girls at an early stage and get them excited about technical careers, we can make lasting changes over the long term,” says Maria Koller.
MINTality: raising awareness for girls and young women
MINT stands for “Mathematics, Informatics, Natural sciences and Technology” (STEM in English) and covers important areas of knowledge in which women are underrepresented. The MINTality foundation has set itself the goal of changing this. It supports projects that teach technical knowledge, break up accepted roles and strengthen the self-confidence of girls and young women. The foundation's target group ranges from the ages of 3 to 19 and their key carers, such as parents and educators. Projects like the digital learning game Robitopia and the Company School Year project provide practical STEM experience that encourages girls to take up technical careers. The foundation also relies on close cooperation with educational authorities and companies to bring about lasting changes.
“The partnership with PALFINGER is a significant step towards making our vision of more female talent in STEM topics a reality. Together, we are creating a supportive environment in which girls can develop their technical skills and confidently embark on career paths in technology,” says Therese Niss, founder and board member of the MINTality foundation.
2025 marks the start of shared projects
This year already, PALFINGER will participate as a partner in the Company School Year 2025 project. The middle school in Köstendorf is a partner school that will help provide students with practical insights into technical professions. In spring, the first onboarding sessions and online introductions for new partner companies and schools will take place. When school starts in September, the PALFINGER employees accompanying the project will go and visit the schools in person. This is followed by a company visit and a shared practical project.
ABOUT PALFINGER AG
PALFINGER is an international technology and mechanical engineering company and the world’s leading producer and provider of innovative crane and lifting solutions. With around 12,540 employees (without contract workers), 30 manufacturing sites and a worldwide sales and service network of around 5,000 service points, PALFINGER creates added value from the challenges of its customers. PALFINGER is consistently continuing on its course as a provider of innovative, complete solutions that deliver increased efficiency and better operability, while leveraging the potential of digitalization along the entire production and value chain.
PALFINGER AG has been listed on the Vienna stock exchange since 1999, and in 2023 achieved record revenue of EUR 2.45 billion.
QUERIES TO
Elisabeth Egle | Senior Specialist Public Relations | Corporate Marketing & Communications | PALFINGER AG
M +43 664 8513218 | e.egle@palfinger.com