During the dismantling in 2025 of an automation system at DC Stroppen in Halle, students from, among others, TA Brasschaat, VTI Aalst and Don Bosco Halle had the opportunity to recover industrial materials and take them back to their schools. Today, at the end of the 2025–2026 school year, several schools are showing the tangible results. Students incorporated the recovered materials into their graduation projects – from constructions to technical applications – demonstrating that reuse can go hand in hand with technology, innovation and craftsmanship. This collaboration is part of the Brug naar Scholen programme, through which Colruyt Group’s technical services actively foster connections between education and industry.
Technical and STEM education using recycled industrial materials
“We are genuinely delighted with what the pupils are presenting today, ” says Frank Pierret, ‘Bridge between Industry and Schools’ coordinator at Colruyt Group Technics & Real Estate. “That was precisely the aim when we donated this material during the students’ dismantling project last year: to see what the schools would actually do with it. The projects are particularly impressive. Here, they gain considerable STEM experience and discover the added value of technology. At the same time, they become familiar with circular construction and reuse. For Colruyt Group, this is a key focus.”
Solid results in the classroom
At TA Brasschaat, the added value of this type of collaboration is immediately apparent. “For our pupils, it’s a unique opportunity to work with industrial materials taken directly from real-world applications,” explains Stig Van Heurck, headteacher at TA Brasschaat. “They naturally acquire technical skills, but they also learn to think about sustainability and reuse. This makes their training much more relevant and motivating.”
For the students themselves, the difference is also noticeable. “It’s much more enjoyable to work with real materials than with standard practice parts,” explain Ryan Poppe and Ruben van Dommelen, students at TA Brasschaat. “At first, we had to understand how the whole system worked,” they say. “We rebuilt the system, incorporating a PLC control system, sensors, emergency stops, switches and signal lights. We really did it all ourselves. That’s what makes this project so special.”
A wider collaboration involving several schools
As well as TA Brasschaat, VTI Aalst and Don Bosco Hal have also worked with the recovered materials. Year 7 Industrial Electrical Technician students at VTI Aalst have rebuilt an automated bin sorting system. Mechanics, pneumatics, electric motors and PLC control: all these elements have been incorporated. There are already plans for other pupils to expand the system next academic year. Chris Sonck, a teacher at VTI Aalst, emphasises the importance of this type of project: “Working with real industrial materials makes all the difference. Students move beyond theory and discover how things actually work in the field. They develop technical skills whilst learning to think and act as they would in a professional environment. This enhances their training and significantly eases their transition into the labour market. For our school, this link with industry is invaluable.”
Don Bosco Hal, for its part, takes a different approach. Instead of extensive automation, the school has divided the equipment into several smaller projects, so that pupils can work on them in pairs. “For us, this equipment has already proven its worth, but it remains 100 per cent suitable for use in a school, as it doesn’t need to run from morning to night. Its strength also lies in the fact that it isn’t a plug-and-play system. Don Bosco Hal demonstrates this, with a different but equally valuable approach. And the fact that these schools are inspiring us with their achievements is truly appreciated,” adds Frank Pierret, a former pupil at Don Bosco Hal.
