A Conversation with Student Barbara Schön: Background, Illness, Full-Time Job – When the Determination to Forge Your Own Path Is Stronger.
Almost 40 years old, with over 25 years of IT experience and a 40-plus-hour workweek: When Barbara Schön began her studies at the Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH in 2020, she was not your typical freshman. What she did have, however, was a clear understanding that a career is not a predetermined path, but one that you can shape yourself. Read more about this in her student story.
Barbara Schön is a DevOps Engineer at Springtime Technologies. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems, she began her current master’s program in Information Technology(ITMA), specializing in Data Science & AI, also at the Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH.
Anyone who talks to her quickly realizes that, for her, this degree program is far more than just an additional academic qualification. It is a form of self-empowerment. “If you come from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background, ” she says, “educational institutions like FERNFH are extremely important for gaining access to the higher education system—even for those with non-traditional backgrounds.”
A Real-World Distance Learning Program Thanks to Its Practical Focus and Recognition of Prior Experience
What she means by this is not some abstract debate about education policy. It’s about real life paths. About people like her who don’t follow the traditional high school diploma–bachelor’s–master’s track, but instead bring with them detours, breaks, years of professional experience, and responsibilities. At FERNFH, as she describes her experience as a student, this prior experience isn’t viewed as a deviation, but as a resource. Professional experience counts. Real-life experience counts. Competence is recognized. Or as Barbara Schön herself emphasizes: “At FERNFH, teaching is very practical and grounded in real life, and my many years of experience in the IT field are taken into account here, rather than just strict admission requirements like a high school diploma.”
For this IT expert from Lower Austria, the final decision to pursue a degree wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment choice. Barbara specifically sought out an opportunity to study while working—without traditional attendance requirements, and in a way that was compatible with a full-time job. At college fairs and during counseling sessions, FERNFH emerged as the institution whose model best aligned with her real-life circumstances. A distance learning program that offers structure without being restrictive. Commitment without inflexibility.
Cutting-edge IT degree programs with immediate practical application in the workplace
She first earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Informatics, and then logically took the next step: a master’s degree in Information Technology. There, she chose to specialize in Data Science & AI, supplemented by numerous IT security courses. “It was precisely this opportunity to pursue a cutting-edge field of study—one that was flexible enough to allow me to focus on security—that was a deciding factor [in choosing the master’s program, editor’s note].”
What she particularly appreciates about studying at FERNFH is how immediately applicable the material is. “Honestly, there’s hardly been a single course so far where I haven’t been able to apply some aspect of it in my professional and personal life.” Theory doesn’t remain abstract; instead, it becomes part of her everyday life —at work, in projects, and in discussions. Her enthusiasm for IT and her coursework is palpable when she talks about individual courses. “Now that I’m in the master’s program, my favorite courses are Introduction to Computational and Artificial Intelligence and AI-Assisted Engineering, because they’re challenging and I’m learning so much new material.” Even math is now one of her favorite subjects. With a twinkle in her eye, she talks about “Krall’s Optimization Pudding”—an explanation of optimization methods using a Christmas pudding with sauce drizzled over it. “No one has ever explained optimization to me so logically, ” she says. It’s these moments—when highly complex material is conveyed in an understandable and almost playful way during her studies at the Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH—that leave a lasting impression on her.
A Critical Examination of the Trending Digital Topic of AI
However, what’s particularly important to her is the critical approach to the topic of artificial intelligence, which comes into play in the master’s program: “What I especially appreciate is that they [the FERNFH faculty, editor’s note] show that the world of AI isn’t just made up of tools like ChatGPT. We learn how AI really ‘works,’ how neural networks function, what types there are, and where the limitations and pitfalls lie. This helps me enormously to critically evaluate current trends and new products instead of just chasing every hype. […] At FERNFH, I’m also learning about other tools, algorithms, and methods—and how I can use them effectively in a business context for specialized systems. For me, this broad, critical understanding is what truly sets FERNFH apart and what prepares me for my future career.”
Mastering Distance Learning: When Curiosity Meets Organizational Skills
It is a genuine passion for topics related to digitalization that drives the students throughout their studies. But in addition to this, it is above all good organization that enables ITMA students to succeed in their studies. This is also true for Barbara Schön: Her daily schedule is packed. She works about 50 hours a week. She studies in the evenings. “I usually don’t get started until 6 or 7 p.m.” Monday evenings are for study groups via MS Teams. From Tuesday through Thursday, she writes and programs for her ESA assignments and works on AI models for her master’s thesis. But she also makes sure to set aside time on the weekends for herself, her family, and friends, as well as her hobby: motorcycling. Overall, however, she devotes about 18 to 20 hours a week to her studies. “That brings my weekly workload to around 70 hours, ” she admits honestly. “There isn’t much room for anything else.” And yet there’s no hint of complaint in her tone. Rather , it sounds like a conscious decision. “If you’re passionate about your field and appreciate the privilege of an education, then that’s a small price to pay.”
Illness & College? It's Possible. Thanks to Flexibility in Action
She knows from personal experience that a college career doesn’t always go smoothly. During both her bachelor’s and master’s programs, she had to cope with life-threatening illnesses. “Sometimes life happens in the life of a student,” she says, looking back on those challenging periods. During those times, she found the Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH to be exceptionally supportive. “The university stood by me both times throughout the entire process and gave me the opportunity to complete my studies at my own pace, even if I had to take a break now and then.”
She speaks of flexibility that goes beyond the ordinary, of open ears and genuine appreciation at FERNFH: “I feel very well taken care of here, and whether it’s been health issues, family, work, or stays abroad, I’ve seen many situations—both in my own life and among my fellow students—where FERNFH has gone beyond the usual level of flexibility expected of an educational institution.”
From Lone Wolf to Team Player: Growing Together Through Distance Learning
Pursuing a degree is always a commitment to investing some of your energy and time in your own development—an investment that can yield great rewards in return. Sometimes, perhaps, more than you could have imagined at the start of your college career. After all, distance learning can do more than just expand your knowledge. As a person, some—including Barbara Schön—seem to rise above themselves: “I used to be a bit of a loner, ” she says. “But that changed completely at FERNFH.” Friendships have blossomed from digital study sessions, campus days, and countless online calls. “My advice to anyone who, like me, used to be chronically resistant to team-building activities: Give it a try! You can find groups you would never have met otherwise, and it’s exactly these people who can save you during times when your motivation is flagging.”
What remains when you listen to Barbara is not just the image of a highly qualified IT expert. It is the image of a woman who is consciously shaping her own path—despite challenges and detours.
“My studies at FERNFH are much more to me than just an academic path. They’re a chance to rise above my background, shape my own life, and discover that, together with others, I can truly achieve more than I ever thought possible.”
Perhaps that is precisely the essence of this first FERNFH student story: Behind every distance learning program lies not just a curriculum, but a person with a story. And sometimes, education is exactly the place where that story takes a new direction.
