TU student wins KNAPP Coding Contest

The fourth KNAPP Coding Contest, which took place on March 6, 2015, was another exciting event for students. The 65 participants from Styria, Carinthia, Vienna and Burgenland puzzled over a practical programming challenge that could be worked out in either Java or C#.

Scientific knowledge put into practical use
KNAPP, specialist for warehouse automation and warehouse logistics software, is one of the biggest IT employers in Styria. The programming competition gives aspiring IT talents the chance to put their knowledge to the test in a specific task and compete with like-minded people. “Everyone who takes part in the KNAPP Coding Contest is a winner. The competition not only offers an attractive prize money but also gives the participants the chance to exchange their ideas and experiences. We also maintain good contact with some participants who are working on project works, diploma theses, as interns or part time”, explains Ingo Spörk, Head of Human Resources at KNAPP.

TU students win numerous prizes
Peter Pötzi from the Technical University, Graz, is the winner of the KNAPP Coding Contest earning him 1,500 Euro as prize money. Runner-up, Christoph Oswald from the Technical University, Vienna, takes home 1,250 Euro prize money. Thomas Jahoda from the HTL Kaindorf scored a third place and won 1,000 Euro.  Among the top 10 were students from the Technical Universities of Graz and Vienna, as well as students from the HTLs of Pinkafeld, Kaindorf, Vil-lach and Bulme Graz-Gösting. The HTL Kaindorf received the award for the best participating institute.

Tips for starting a career
Prior to the awards ceremony, the participants relaxed with a chill-out programme and a delicious beer and burger buffet waiting for them. KNAPP software experts at so-called ‘career path stations’ offered the students some advice on what occupational fields exist and what they should consider when starting their career. Aside from software development and software planning, the international company with projects in Brazil, South Africa and Australia – just to mention a few – is looking especially for junior employees in installation.

To be continued at the Offline Contest
For the first time after the competition in the KNAPP Corporate Headquarters and Development Centre, students from schools and universities get the chance to take part in an Offline Contest for which they will have more time available. “In recent years schools showed a great interest in working on the challenge in class or as an optional subject. We want to see how much the participants can actually improve”, says Ingo Spörk, Head of Human Resources at KNAPP. The students have time to work on the solution until April 17. The winner will receive 500 Euro from KNAPP. For details see www.coding-contest.at.

Picture caption
KNAPP Coding Contest winner
Left to right: Peter Puchwein (Director of Innovation at KNAPP), Thomas Jahoda (3rd place, HTL Kaindorf), Peter Pötzi (1st place, TU Graz), Christoph Oswald (2nd place, TU Vienna) and Ingo Spörk (Head of Human Resources at KNAPP)

About KNAPP:
KNAPP AG operates internationally in the field of warehouse automation and warehouse logistics software. Over 1,600 active systems in more than 60 countries make KiSoft – KNAPP integrated software – one of the leading software solutions. Founded in 1952, KNAPP today has 2,600 employees, with more than 600 in the software sector. The company concentrates its software expertise in the modern Corporate Headquarters and Development Centre in Hart bei Graz.
KNAPP has representative offices in 38 locations in Europe, North and South America, as well as Asia, South Africa and Australia. There are software experts in all subsidiaries, with software development centred in the locations Graz, Leoben, Grambach, Dobl, Bielefeld (Germany) and Åstorp (Sweden). As employer in the software field, KNAPP offers outstanding opportunities for development in terms of specialist and management career paths as well as interesting possibilities abroad.