Dresden is a beautiful city, located between the banks of the Elbe River. After the fire storms that swept through miles of Dresden during World War II and the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, this East German city - once in complete rubble - has rebuilt historic landmarks to maintain the city's cultural and architectural integrity.
Today was a full, but exciting day. All the way across the globe, I had the chance to meet Boston University students studying abroad at the Technical University of Dresden! While visiting the university, a group of faculty from the university's Centre of Energy Technology introduced us to a number of renewable energy initiatives being developed by the university including wind, solar, and photovaltaic energy. While a debate on renewable energy continues on the German federal level, the Centre for Energy Technology at the University is taking on a major role in building public-private partnerships to support diverse energy solutions.
Lieutenant Governor joins Boston University students studying science related fields abroad at the Technical University of Dresden.
(Photo Credit: Lauren Jones / Lieutenant Governors Office)
Lieutenant Governor Murray, Lieutenant Governor Roberts (RI), Lieutenant Governor Sanchez (NM), Lieutenant Governor Francis (USVI), and Lieutenant Governor Reynolds (IA) visit with Boston University students studying in Germany.
(Photo: Boston University)
We also toured the Saxon State Parliament and received an overview of Saxony's politics presented by Torsten Herbst, Chief Whip of the Free Democratic Party followed by a discussion with Dr. Johannes Beerman, Chief of Staff of the Saxon State Chancellery.
Later in the day, I visited NOVATIC, a painting and varnishing manufacturer in Dresden. I met with the CEO as well as school administrators to learn about Germany’s apprenticeship system, including the workforce training and apprenticeship program at NOVATIC. In Saxony, the apprenticeship program attracts 800 students, and 600 of these students study the natural sciences. After studying in the classroom for two weeks, the students then gain hands-on experience at companies like NOVATIC. There are a lot of parallels between this program and Massachusetts' vocational and technical education program.
In Massachusetts, approximately 45,000 students are enrolled in sixty technical and vocational schools across the state. I have always emphasized how these programs provide students with practical experiences in and outside the classroom that prepares them for the 21st century workforce. Upon graduation, many of these students pursue higher education or find professional opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Some of these professional opportunities include apprenticeship programs that further train students for skills needed a range of industries, including advanced manufacturing, engineering, robotics, or construction. We need to continue to invest in these programs so Massachusetts can be competitive in our global economy.
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