From the first PLCnext Control to the global trainer: Christiane’s journey with PLCnext Technology

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to teach people about the latest technology in the automation industry? How do you keep up with the constant changes and innovations in this field? How do you share your knowledge and passion with colleagues and customers from all over the world? If you’re curious about these questions, you’ll love this blog post.

Today, we’re introducing you to Christiane Kownatzki, a technical trainer at PLCnext Technology:

“Hey! My name is Christiane Kownatzki and I have been working as a technical trainer at Phoenix Contact since 2017. I conduct training courses for colleagues and customers worldwide on various topics related to PLCnext Technology. In my first year at the company, I got to know the first PLCnext Control, which was still purely for internal use at this time. It was a very exciting time for me, as it was the first time I had the opportunity to experience the introduction of a new technology. That same year, I started to train the first colleagues on PLCnext Technology. This allowed me to experience how this ecosystem has continuously developed and grown into its current state as an open and flexible platform.”

1. What motivates you to work in the PLCnext Technology environment?

“For me, it’s great to work with so many different people with very different technical focuses. It’s incredibly enriching! You’re always learning new things – programming languages, protocols, tools and much more. This, in turn, constantly provides new impetus to discover further possibilities and to make them available as training content. In addition, it’s inspiring to see how many great projects are created with PLCnext Technology – many of them in the area of sustainability. Being able to make a small contribution to these projects through training is also very motivating.”

2. Describe your workday in three emojis:

🤖 Technical complexity

🚀 Progress and development

💡 New ideas and solutions

3. What makes PLCnext Technology unique?

“The PLCnext Community makes a big difference. If you have any questions, you can always find someone who can help you. The mutual support, openness to new ideas and creativity within the PLCnext team make this working environment unique in the world of automation. Especially the close cooperation with partners should be emphasized. For example, they provide valuable ideas, tutorials and feedback via the PLCnext Community, fair exhibits or social media. Thanks to this strong community, you won’t just find just one solution to a problem, but many different ones, giving you the choice of which approach is best for a particular task.”

Christiane is an awesome role model for how women can succeed in the automation field and contribute to the development of future-oriented solutions. We hope you liked her story and learned something new. And don’t miss our next post in the series, where we’ll introduce you to another amazing woman in automation. You’ll be surprised who it is!