Taking on More Responsibility Step by Step

Marco Klemenjak, Design Team Leader, Kraus Austria

The part-time degree program was challenging, but that’s exactly what allowed me to apply what I learned directly to my day-to-day work and to grow both professionally and personally.

Even while attending technical college (HTL) for mechatronics, Marco Klemenjak discovered his passion for mechanical engineering. He was particularly fascinated by design, manufacturing technology, and technical development. To deepen his knowledge in a targeted manner and advance his career, he decided to pursue a part-time bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in manufacturing technology at CU University of Applied Sciences Carinthia. After successfully completing his bachelor’s degree, he is now continuing his studies in the master’s program in Mechanical Engineering–Lightweight Construction.

Marco describes balancing his studies and career as challenging but extremely rewarding. “Good time management and discipline were essential. At the same time, I was able to apply what I learned directly to my daily work. That greatly enriched the learning process.”

He particularly remembers the interactions with his fellow students. Many of them already had professional experience in various technical fields. This practical relevance made the courses especially exciting for him and continually opened up new perspectives.

His professional career began as a design engineer. As his experience grew, he gradually took on more responsibility and now leads the design team at Kraus Austria. His responsibilities include planning and coordinating development projects, providing technical support to his team, and further developing technical solutions.

For Marco, his own journey demonstrates how well a degree program and a career can be combined. “My studies didn’t just benefit me professionally. I was also able to specifically develop my leadership and organizational skills–abilities that continue to serve me in my day-to-day work to this day.”