KNAPP Coding Contest 2018 a sensational success

In the programming contest, IT talents can show off their coding skills, gain experience and test their knowledge on a tricky programming task from logistics practice. "The KNAPP Coding Contest has become the challenge to beat within the community," says KNAPP HR Manager Ingo Spörk, who is delighted with the high level of interest in the programming competition. KNAPP is a global player in intralogistics and employs 3,700 people worldwide. With over 2,500 employees - more than 1,000 of whom work in IT and software - KNAPP is one of the largest IT employers in Styria. "Logistics is an industry of the future with interesting career prospects. With the Coding Contest, we want to get pupils and students who are completing an IT apprenticeship interested in the exciting tasks and excellent career opportunities in our company at an early stage, but also help to improve the image of logistics," says Spörk.

Finding the best possible solution

2.5 hours to develop a software module - in either Java or C#: the IT talents were enthusiastic and creative in solving a programming task from everyday logistics. "The young people had the task of controlling the movements of a shuttle in an automated warehouse so that the work orders could be completed with as little effort as possible," says KNAPP logistics and software expert Mario Löfler, describing the challenging but solvable task.

The winners and Chillout

After more than two hours of intensive programming work and a subsequent chill-out with beer and burgers, the winners in the two categories were chosen. Daniel Fangl from TU Vienna and Alexander Dietrich from HTL Kaindorf won the KNAPP Coding Contest and the prize money of 1,000 euros each. Robert Tieber from Graz University of Technology and Michael Krickl, HTL Kaindorf, were awarded 2nd place and 800 euros each. Benjamin Potzmann, TU Vienna, and Thomas Neumann, HTL Kaindorf, secured 3rd place and won 500 euros each. Fabian Rossmann from HTL Pinkafeld took home an iPad mini 4. The best participating institutions were HTL Rennweg Vienna, TU Graz and HTL Kaindorf.

However, there are not only attractive prizes to be won in the competition. It is also an opportunity to make contacts within the company. Many participants took the opportunity to discuss the task with KNAPP software experts and find out about career paths at KNAPP.