Two Days of Hands-On Experience, Perspectives, and Questions About the Future in Vienna

How is artificial intelligence changing the world of work? What skills will be in demand in the future? And how must education evolve to ensure that lifelong learning is truly successful?

With these questions in mind, fifth-semester students in the full-time Business Management program set off for Vienna. The two-day excursion was part of CU Carinthia University of Applied Sciences’ “Real World Experience,” in which students gain firsthand experience with current developments and challenges directly within companies and organizations.

The first stop on the itinerary was FireStart, a company specializing in process management and process automation. Managing Director Martin Schmidt personally welcomed the group and provided insights into the business model as well as current developments in digitalization and artificial intelligence.

The practical application examples, drawn directly from the company’s day-to-day operations, sparked particular interest. Using concrete use cases from the fields of human resources and marketing, the presentation demonstrated how AI-supported process automation helps companies streamline workflows and relieve employees of repetitive tasks. The students not only gained an impression of the technological possibilities but also discussed opportunities, challenges, and career prospects in the software industry.

After wrapping up the first day together, the second day of the excursion featured a visit to the Controller Institute in collaboration with EY. There, the group focused on a topic currently on the minds of many organizations: How is learning changing in a world where knowledge is available at any time and professional development is increasingly becoming a lifelong process?

Angelika Irsigler-Giglmayr presented developments in adult education and discussed the “education” business model with the students from a strategic perspective. The focus was on the question of how people will want to learn in 2035 and what requirements this will place on educational providers. The students contributed their own experiences and expectations, thereby becoming key contributors to the analysis of future educational offerings.

The two company visits were closely related to the content of the module “Selected Focus Topics in Controlling.” While the visit to FireStart focused on the increasing automation of processes and the use of AI, the visit to the Controller Institute addressed tools for strategy development and implementation. This allowed students to directly link theoretical content with current real-world examples.

The field trip made it clear that controlling today goes far beyond numbers and reports. Topics such as digitalization, automation, strategic corporate development, and lifelong learning are increasingly shaping the decisions of organizations. Gaining firsthand knowledge of precisely these connections on-site and discussing them with experts is a central component of the Real World Experience at CU Carinthia University of Applied Sciences.

Thus, the two-day field trip not only provided exciting company visits but also valuable insights into the developments that will significantly influence the economy, education, and the world of work in the coming years.