STORIES

Kerstin Vockner Promotes Talent

Kerstin Vockner lives her passion for fostering people's talents and providing optimal conditions for personal and professional development. As a graduate of the FH and Head of the Human Resources Department at Stiegl Brewery Salzburg, she is enthusiastically dedicated to these goals. Since autumn, she has also brought her experience and enthusiasm to the "Female Mentoring Programme" at the FH, supporting young female talents.

Event management or marketing were the career paths Kerstin Vockner considered when she decided to study Business Administration at FH Salzburg after her A-levels. But things turned out differently. The native of Upper Austria is now the Head of the Human Resources Department at Stiegl Private Brewery, responsible for around 750 employees throughout Austria. "The enthusiasm for Human Resources developed during my studies," Vockner recounts. "Seeing how people develop is fascinating," says Vockner, who graduated in 2007.

She began her professional career as a trainee at Salzburg AG, where she later worked in the HR department for eight years. She completed part-time training in change management, coaching, and moderation during this time. In 2018, Vockner moved to Stiegl and rose from Team Leader for Personnel Development & Recruiting in the summer of 2020 to Head of the HR Department. Life-long learning is particularly important to her—for the people she is responsible for and for herself.

Now, in the second round of the "Female Mentoring Programme," she brings coaching and HR back with her alma mater. Over two semesters, she supports a student as a mentor on her way into the professional world.

"It is incredibly enriching to accompany young women on their professional journey and see them grow beyond themselves," says Vockner about her commitment to the mentoring programme. "The programme offers a wonderful opportunity to pass on knowledge and experience while continually learning new things."