Good talks - from shortage of skilled workers to energy transition

On May 3, 2023, Jürgen Trittin, member of the Bundestag for the Göttingen constituency, and his team visited Kappa optronics in Klein Lengden / Gleichen. During a tour of the company, the expert in "cameras for everything that drives and flies" presented innovative products such as the world's first fully approved digital car mirror.

The trainee team gave a brief overview of environmental management at Kappa and also presented Trittin with a Kappa backpack to mark the company's 45th birthday. Kappa's commitment to the energy transition was another topic. The visit witnessed how an 83 kWp photovoltaic system is being installed on the Kappa roof, which will make a significant contribution to the company's sustainable energy supply and, among other things, feed the 12 charging stations for e-vehicles. They quickly became engrossed in the technical discussion, in which Trittin impressed with detailed background knowledge.

As a medium-sized company, Kappa relies on highly qualified and motivated employees, who are increasingly also being recruited internationally - the shortage of skilled workers is a pressing issue. Kappa would particularly like to see the internationalization of technical courses of study at the university location receive a tailwind from the political world. A rapid reduction of bureaucracy and everyday hurdles would make it easier for international colleagues to arrive in Göttingen. This also pragmatically includes an expansion of the unsatisfactory bus connections in the sense of sustainable transport concepts - concerns that fell on Trittin's open ears.

Kappa Managing Director Johannes Overhues and Sebastian Vreemann (CSO) were pleased with the particularly constructive exchange with Trittin, including on federal policy issues. "This was a very close, sympathetic conversation and a good opportunity to make the interests of Göttingen's SMEs even more visible in Berlin. It was nice that Mr. Trittin was able to take so much time for this," said Overhues.