Trainees hand over mobile traffic lights to the police
Three trainees from J. MÜLLER Weser have developed mobile traffic lights for teaching children about road safety as part of a practical training project.
The young talents Devin Hillmer (2nd year of training, industrial mechanics maintenance), Thade Maas (3rd year of training, industrial mechanics maintenance), and Malte Boburka (3rd year of training, electronics for industrial engineering) designed, programmed, and manufactured the mobile traffic lights from scratch on their own. They sourced some of the materials required from J. MÜLLER's inventory, while others were specifically purchased for the project – in keeping with the spirit of a realistic working environment. The traffic light stands were welded and professionally assembled by the trainees themselves.
The result is impressive: three flexibly switchable traffic light modules with individually controllable switch boxes – state-of-the-art technology and truly unique as custom-made products. Particularly noteworthy is the use of original traffic lights, which have been integrated into a specially developed, robust and pedagogically well-designed system. The systems are mobile, versatile, easy to use, and optimally tailored to the requirements of modern traffic education.
Enthusiasm among the police
At the ceremonial handover, the trainees enthusiastically presented the technical refinements of their mobile traffic light systems. The police were visibly impressed. Police Superintendent André Wächter, head of the Brake police station, and Police Chief Inspector Swantje Eisenhauer, prevention officer for the Brake police, emphasized: “The new traffic lights are a great addition to our traffic education program. They enable important traffic rules to be taught in a realistic and child-friendly way and play a key role in helping children learn how to behave safely in traffic.”
The trainees will be on site for the first road safety training session to observe how their mobile traffic lights work in real-life situations and whether everything is running smoothly as planned. This will give them first-hand experience of how their technical work supports children's road safety education.
New traffic training ground – now with modern technology
The mobile traffic lights will be used in future at the newly designed traffic training ground on Poggenburger Straße in Brake. The police regularly conduct road safety training courses here for children from kindergartens and primary schools – for participants from across the region, from Brake to Lemwerder. Every year, more than 250 children take part in the courses and learn in a playful way how to move safely in traffic – now supported by realistic traffic lights that are state-of-the-art.
“The new location on Poggenburger Straße provides us with significantly improved spatial conditions. Thanks to the support of the Wesermarsch district, the city of Brake, the traffic safety association, and donations from the regional economy – including J. MÜLLER – the site was able to be expanded in a short period of time,” explains Swantje Eisenhauer. “Now, equipped with this modern traffic light system, the training ground has become an outstanding project for the entire Wesermarsch district.”
In the past, traffic situations had to be improvised. Today, the mobile traffic lights provide a realistic, practical, and at the same time educationally valuable learning experience. An investment in the safety of the youngest members of society – with a signal effect far beyond the region.
Training that inspires
Kaja Hanke, training officer at J. MÜLLER, emphasizes the value of the project for training: “Our trainees experience first-hand how their technical skills and commitment have a social impact. This motivates them, makes them proud, and promotes not only specialist knowledge but also teamwork, creativity, and a sense of responsibility.”
With this extraordinary project, J. MÜLLER has applied for this year's prestigious PIA – the Nordwestzeitung's 2025 Prize for Innovative Training.
