NEWAG has signed another cooperation agreement, this time with Politechnika Krakowska – Cracow’s Technical University. The agreement concerns collaboration in the area of training specialist engineering corps, implementation of R&D projects and innovative technologies. Due to its dynamic growth, NEWAG is expanding its R& D Division, currently recruiting staff for its Design Office which will start its operations in Cracow in September.
The agreement formalises successful long-time collaboration between Politechnika Krakowska and NEWAG. The three-year agreement covers a wide range of activities. Under the agreement, NEWAG S.A. will organise practical training and internships for students as well as company tours and open-house days for future engineers. The program of practical training and internships will take into consideration the Company’s needs. NEWAG will also enable students to obtain topics for their bachelor’s and master theses. The Company will also recruit its engineers from among graduates of the Technical University, most often those graduating in such technical majors as Mechanics and Machine Design, Transportation, Automation Engineering and Robotics, Electrical Engineering as well as Management and Production Engineering. The Technical University will educate the company’s employees in its regular study programs as well as in the form of special courses, trainings and open lectures using its educational facilities and laboratories. Therefore, one of the main effects of the cooperation agreement will be educated specialists who will have practical skills required in the field of rail vehicles design.
“At present, we already employ several dozen alumni of Cracow’s Technical University but we are going to expand our human resources, in particular our R& D Department. We intend to close the generation gap in training engineers because in the last 20 years no new rail vehicles have been designed in Poland. We have a team of young and talented designers but we are going to expand it. In September, the Design Office of NEWAG’s Research and Development Department will initiate its operations in Cracow — it is going to employ 30 engineers and we are currently recruiting staff for this Office. We have chosen to locate the Office in Cracow especially because of an easy access to engineers trained at Cracow’s universities,” said Maciej Duczyński, NEWAG’s Vice President of the Board and Marketing and Development Director, following the signing of the agreement.
Scientists from Politechnika Krakowska will also offer their expertise to the Company by providing their expert opinions, analyses and reports concerning technology and organisation and management. The partners also plan to obtain funds, including EU funds, to implement research and training projects.
“Collaboration with the business environment constitutes part of the mission of Politechnika Krakowska. The agreement with NEWAG will be beneficial for both parties. Thanks to the agreement we will be able to implement a lot of joint R&D and educational projects. This collaboration will offer our students an opportunity to solve real technological and technical problems, which will develop their practical skills and competencies much sought by potential employers as well as it will give them a competitive advantage in the job market,” emphasized prof. Jan Kazior, Deputy Rector for Scientific Affairs of Politechnika Krakowska. “I am convinced that NEWAG will also be satisfied with the fruits of the collaboration because in view of its impressive growth it will need well-trained engineers. So far, the Rail Vehicles Institute at the Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Politechnika Krakowska has been closely collaborating with NEWAG and now this collaboration will be extended to other Faculties of the University.”
NEWAG, which so far has been developing dynamically in the domestic market, has started its European expansion. The company is finalising work on a diesel multiple unit for its client in Sicily and it is awaiting final decisions in new European public tenders.