Across Europe, the gap between classroom learning and real-world skills continues to grow. According to the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training’s report Shaping Learning and Skills for Europe, productivity is lagging, adult learning participation remains below targets, and nearly half of the EU workforce may require upskilling.

In Romania, Honeywell is helping close that gap. With over 30 years of operations in the country, the company is deeply invested in preparing the next generation for careers in automation and control solutions, industrial process management, aerospace and transport. For the past decade, Honeywell has partnered with secondary schools and universities on a variety of initiatives to bridge the divide between education and employment.

Learning by doing in automation labs

Honeywell has funded, opened and outfitted several automation labs at universities across Romania, including the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest (UPB), the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest (UTCB), the Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiești, the Polytechnic University of Timisoara (UPT), the Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iaşi and the Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava. These labs give hundreds of students access to Honeywell’s latest industrial technologies. The curriculum is designed to help them apply classroom theory to real-world scenarios, building the skills needed to thrive in the industrial automation sector.

Innovating through competition

Honeywell supports several innovation contests that challenge students to think creatively and technically. For five years, Honeywell has supported FutureShapers Camp, a free weeklong summer school organised by UPB and the French Institut National des Sciences Appliquées for undergraduate and graduate students. Participants work with Honeywell trainers to explore cutting-edge technologies and industry trends. The week also includes a hackathon designed to enhance students’ technical skills and give them a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving job market.

In addition, in 2023, Honeywell was a partner in organising the seventh edition of the Techallenge: future technologies in Smart city and Industry 4.0. The innovation contest featured teams of high school and university students proposing projects in areas including energy efficiency, smart buildings, intelligent traffic monitoring, urban agriculture, cybersecurity and more.

In a similar vein, Honeywell has sponsored Perpetuum, a free, one-day engineering competition open to UPB students.

Developing talent early

Honeywell regularly conducts technology seminars for UPB and UTCB students and runs internship programmes that help them complete their bachelor’s degrees. For younger learners, the company supports Junior Achievement Romania’s Skills for Tech Jobs, a career guidance project.

Building bridges to employment

Honeywell periodically participates in job fairs at education institutions – including at UPB and the Bucharest University of Economic Studies – to facilitate networking between its hiring managers, students and recent graduates. As just one example of the company’s successful partnerships with Romanian universities, ‘80% of Honeywell Timişoara employees come from UPT…and 70% of them work in…designing intelligent meters, designing intelligent measurement systems and energy efficiency.’

Speaking about the broader impact of Honeywell’s educational initiatives, Mihai Brana, Managing Director of Honeywell Romania, shares:

‘With significant operations and investments throughout Romania and as a major employer in the country, Honeywell has a vested interest in nurturing next-generation talent and facilitating their transition from academia into the business world…By accruing deep expertise in Honeywell solutions and applying them to real-life scenarios, young people from across the country will be better prepared and equipped to join the industrial sector.’