Politics, Business & Responsibility

A big thank you to the families: Once again, school backpacks were sent on their way to Sibiu, Romania

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, Politics, Business & Responsibility, Social Engagement

Once again this year, we received active support from the students and parents of Steinmühlen School for the Children’s and Youth Parliament’s charitable campaign, “School Bags for Romania.” The families of 5th-grade students were asked to donate well-preserved “second-hand” backpacks from their elementary school days for the new school year, to be sent to Sibiu, Marburg’s sister city. There, many children can only afford a backpack and quality school supplies to a limited extent—or not at all! So, on November 10, the backpacks collected over several weeks set off on their journey—first to the Haus der Jugend in Marburg, and then, in even greater numbers, to Romania. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the children and families who donated a backpack and, in some cases, even filled it with school supplies.

22. December 2023

Delegation from the Center for Conflict Research at Steinmühle: 13th-grade students host a mock UN conference

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, Politics, Business & Responsibility

Why can’t they reach an agreement through diplomatic channels? — Given the many political conflicts around the world, this question comes up time and again. Recently, a delegation from the Center for Conflict Research at Philipps University in Marburg visited our school. In a simulation of an international conflict, 13th-grade students were given the opportunity to lead negotiations at a fictional UN conference. They soon realized that reaching an agreement isn’t all that easy.

Otium-Union, Anceps, Tavus, Furland, and Gratenia: These were fictional countries with fictional names, whose representatives were to exchange views in informal discussions and later at a roundtable. Students took on these roles, wearing name tags and addressing one another formally. The goal was to immerse themselves in their own roles and those of their counterparts, focusing on national identity, territorial claims, economic factors, and peacekeeping.

Sticking to One’s Own Point of View

All parties involved issued a brief statement explaining their positions. It soon became clear that this was a gathering of very different personalities. Not all parties were open to discussion—or were difficult to reason with—and many insisted on their position, vehemently opposing, for example, a “relocation” proposed by the other side in the negotiations.

“Frustrating” at times

The final evaluation was intended to reveal how the students felt about their roles. The word “frustration” came up—they found it difficult to reach an agreement, especially when the negotiators were primarily pursuing their own interests rather than focusing on the common goal. Reasons cited included, among others, interdependencies that make agreements difficult, as well as many conflicting interests. The people were said to be unwilling to compromise.

“Do you have any idea where this took place?” Of course, it was eventually revealed which part of the world the students had been discussing during those three school hours. The university guests first let the students guess and then revealed that the scenario outlined in the presentation roughly corresponded to the Transnistria conflict between the Republic of Moldova and the self-proclaimed Transnistrian Republic, with Russia’s involvement.

Making University Collaboration a Reality

Bernd Hülsbeck, a subject teacher and head of the social sciences division within the Politics and Economics department at Steinmühle, views events like this primarily through the lens of “opening up the school”: “We have a partnership with Philipps University of Marburg, and we need to make that partnership tangible.” The Steinmühle teacher thanked the university delegation—consisting of Prof. Dr. Thorsten Bonacker, Dr. Stéphane Voell, Dr. Kerstin Zimmer, and Tabea Hanke—for coming by presenting them with a gift. Events like these help make the curriculum—which is currently focusing on international relations in the 13th grade—somewhat more practice-oriented.

The “Peace and Conflict Studies” program prepares students, among other things, for work with the UN when staff are deployed to crisis areas.

11. December 2023

In-School Teacher Professional Development Days: Other schools are successfully using these concepts and approaches

News, Politics, Business & Responsibility

Regularly reevaluating our own approach and constantly evolving: The Steinmühle is a school that never stops learning—and not just on paper. The school’s internal teacher training days were used to visit other schools in Germany that employ various modern approaches: to see how things can be done differently, to gather ideas, and to gain new perspectives. The field trips taken by the four groups of teachers led them to the Sächsisches Landesgymnasium Sankt Afra in Meissen, the Alemannenschule in Wutöschingen, Baden-Württemberg, the Anne Frank School in Bargteheide near Hamburg, and the Ratsgymnasium in Minden.

St. Afra: Deepen Your Interest with Addita

St. Afra’s philosophy is to consistently focus on the students’ strengths. Students are given the freedom to develop their personalities and are trained to take on responsibility. Mentoring in the boarding school and high school, along with building relationships, forms the foundation for everything. At St. Afra, a boarding school for gifted students, children also practice crafts, and teachers introduce them to various hobby activities. Through so-called “Addita,” students can explore their own interests—beyond the core curriculum—in greater depth. “We need more accountability,” is the credo of the school administration, which fosters a school atmosphere of total focus on the subject matter. In “learning tandems,” high-achieving and average students work together in chemistry class—an approach that has proven effective.

Alemannenschule Wutöschingen: Grading System for Social Behavior

At the Alemannenschule in Wutöschingen, the school’s mission statement is put into practice: decency, respect, and personal responsibility. Here, teachers are called “learning guides,” and students are “learning partners.” Everyone sits together in the same room, and everyone is working. The atmosphere is quiet, with only whispers. The staff members are always present; there are hardly any places to retreat to. Every week, students reflect on their personal plans with their own coach. Clear rules are a cornerstone of the Alemannenschule’s approach. Everything is extremely clean and well-maintained; meals are eaten only in the dining hall, not elsewhere in the building. No one uses cell phones—neither middle schoolers nor high schoolers. “Learning through experience” is a guiding principle. Experts who are not teachers help the children and teenagers experience real life. There is a grading system for social behavior that allows students to earn greater freedoms.

Anne Frank School in Bargteheide: No Grades for Grades 5–7

Every class in grades 5–9 at the Anne Frank School in Bargteheide has two co-teachers with equal responsibility. At this inclusive comprehensive school, only part of the class works with tablets at any given time; the students share the devices. In grades 5–7, report cards with grades are not used. Instead, there are portfolios and a portfolio review that highlights each student’s strengths—further emphasized by a corresponding certificate at the end of the school year. A consistent reduction of 5 minutes in each class period creates free time during which students can explore their personal interests in extracurricular clubs or elective courses. A high degree of mindfulness fosters a very personal atmosphere at the school, which has adopted the motto “Connection before Education.”

Ratsgymnasium Minden: “Deeper Learning” in Practice

The Ratsgymnasium in Minden is committed to an open approach to learning. Using the so-called “Deeper Learning” concept, the school has set out to have students first master the fundamentals in selected lessons, and then apply that knowledge as practical skills through authentic and relevant tasks. These tasks are then intended—on a large or small scale—to have an impact on the school community, if possible, in the form of a relevant outcome or product. For the Ratsgymnasium, a school with a strong cultural focus, such tasks often arise from various performance formats, such as concerts or theater productions. However, they can also take the form of explanatory videos, a school scavenger hunt, or other formats that are personally meaningful to the students and develop from their own ideas. The school works in close cooperation with external partners not only for these performances. In addition to theater and concert venues, these have included, for example, professional craftsmen with whom students built the school’s outdoor seating themselves.

Innovative public schools provided impetus

In any case, the visits to the four schools have shown that a reformed and innovatively designed school day is not the exclusive domain of independent schools: All four of the schools visited are public, and they are located in different federal states.

Steinmühle has, in fact, found that it can learn from innovative public schools. “But that doesn’t mean Steinmühle is now turning its concept upside down,” the school administration team summarized. During the discussion of what they had heard, the Steinmühle faculty compiled several ideas and guiding principles that had been noted, in order to reflect on them and assess whether and to what extent they could be incorporated into the school’s daily routine and the Steinmühle’s educational philosophy.

The following to-dos, lines of thought, and statements (selection) were listed, among others:

Connecting the school with the local community, bringing students together with (external) people, opening the school to people from outside the community
Freedom is causally linked to obligations
Emphasize social behavior, solidarity, and compassion
School as a Social Space
Slipper Culture: A Whole New Level of Quality of Life
Taking a Closer Look at Grades for Younger Students
Companies are interested in young people who follow (their own) guidelines
We should take a look at what we already have and incorporate new elements into a well-rounded overall plan
Strengths-Based Approach
As teachers, we must take the rules seriously ourselves and serve as role models
Examining the mentoring system and the two-teacher system
Highlighting “Fundamentum” and “Additum”

Our photo in front of the Forum shows the teachers from Steinmühle on the second day of the training session, when all the results were compiled.

11. December 2023

Rotary Career Information Day: Firsthand Tips from Professionals

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, Politics, Business & Responsibility

Every year, for one evening in November, the Steinmühle Atrium is reserved for the 12th-grade class and representatives of the Marburg-Schloss Rotary Club. Under the motto “Students Ask—Professionals Answer,” these young adults have the opportunity to learn about various careers, gain insights, and ask questions.

To ensure that the flow of information is as effective as possible and that the representatives also cover professions that interest the students, the 12th-grade class has a say in the composition of the team of experts beforehand. Students can express their preferences regarding which careers they would like to learn more about from a practical perspective. Once the panel of experts has been finalized, students receive a PDF file in advance containing information about each expert and their responsibilities in their respective fields. This allows students to choose which of the three available expert sessions to attend in a highly targeted manner.

Every year, Dr. Claudia Röder and Hans-Heinrich Bähr are responsible for the preliminary organization and the smooth running of the event. “We’ve become a well-coordinated team by now,” they say. The Steinmühlen teacher is in charge of academic and career guidance at the school, while Hans-Heinrich Bähr is responsible for the career information service at the Rotary Club Marburg-Schloss. Principal Björn Gemmer thanked both of them for their reliable preparation before opening the event.

Specific offers were well received

While last year a few specific career paths were the absolute favorites—such as the profession of psychologist and various opportunities with the German Armed Forces—this time the main areas of interest were somewhat more diverse. For example, there was also strong interest in counseling sessions on the various career opportunities with the Mittelhessen Emergency Medical Services and the Mittelhessen Police Headquarters, as well as in strategic service roles for hotel chains and the Sustainability Management degree program at the Technical University of Mittelhessen —the latter two were new additions to the Career Information Day’s offerings, just like the Materials Science degree program. Creative and communication-oriented professions, such as design, art direction, and journalism—to name just a few—were also in high demand. Numerous interested attendees also came to the information session on the career profiles of lawyers, (dental) physicians, and management consultants. A larger group also gathered at the German Red Cross (DRK) Nurses’ Association, which, for example, highlighted the opportunity to complete a voluntary social year. A total of 22 different career paths were presented.

“We liked that the career representatives just talked about their work on their own, without us having to ask questions,” said students Vivien Ettrich and Amelie Schröder. They were interested in psychology and journalism, but also found the option of first completing a voluntary social year appealing. Ina Arnold and Paula Henke found the information provided by the police to be very insightful: “They had three people there from different fields, and you could immediately see how diverse the opportunities with the police are.” Both were also drawn to the information provided by the Bundeswehr representative: “He offered internships, participation in camps, and even degree programs,” they reported.

The Best Ways to Combine High School Graduation and a Trade

Constantin Mensing, Johnny Eckardt, and Manu Yárnoz were impressed by the descriptions provided by the representative of the Hyatt Hotel Group and considered the information to be “very authentic” and now know that there are excellent career advancement opportunities in this particular field, provided one is willing to adapt to certain conditions, such as work hours. They also gained valuable insights into the careers of architects and lawyers, which offer a wide range of opportunities. The students found their conversation with Stefan Gräser about the role of a building energy manager to be very informative. Conclusion: There are excellent opportunities to combine a high school diploma with a trade.

Baris Cem Tutu and Selim Özcan found the visit with representatives of Sparkasse Marburg-Biedenkopf informative, as well as the presentation by the Bundeswehr representative, who “did a great job” of explaining the material. “I now have a general idea,” says Selim. “A little more time overall wouldn’t have been a bad thing.”

In addition to the opportunities mentioned, the following career fields were also presented: Business graduate, managing director, IT specialist, tax consultant/certified public accountant, investment advisor/insurance agent, physicist.

27. November 2023

A Word of Encouragement for Anyone Who Wants to Start a Business: What Matters Most Are Innovative Ideas and a Strong Team

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, Politics, Business & Responsibility

Axel Täubert, bestselling author and Head of Startups at Google, visited the Steinmühle

Those who fail are often met with ridicule: “He went bankrupt,” “his company went under,” “so much for those great ideas.” Even today, founders whose companies couldn’t hold their own in the market are still stigmatized in Germany. Axel Täubert, who graduated from the Liebigschule in Giessen in 1996 and is now Head of Startups at Google, made this the topic of his talk at the Steinmühle on Tuesday evening. The provocative title: “Failure as a Business Model.”

It’s easy to forget: Anyone who starts a business has dealt with things that many employees only know about from hearsay. Formalities, business plans, capital requirements, and—if necessary—the search for investors—not to mention the willingness to work longer hours than “nine-to-five.” Almost essential: putting together the right team. “Anyone who wants to start a business needs people who are not only passionate about the same idea but whose skills complement one another.” One person is at home in the world of finance, while another loves sales and interacting with people. A third person has the expertise that the company relies on—whether as a technician, engineer, scientist, or whatever field the startup specializes in. This explicitly includes skilled trades businesses.

“Everything should start with the user”

Many entrepreneurs rely on financial support during the startup phase. If they can convince investors in such a situation with a novel, innovative business idea and the structure of their team, venture capital often comes into play. Investors provide funding to high-growth, unlisted startups without requiring collateral and offer not only financial assistance but also advice and access to networks. This takes the form of a venture capital fund as part of an equity investment in the company. The investment results in co-ownership, though the investors do not seek a majority stake.

Venture capital-eligible companies are those that, through their activities, offer clear customer value and an innovative advantage. Axel Täubert: “Everything should start with the user.” He cited the example of a company that, using decorative elements and a special design concept, transformed MRI diagnostic equipment into an “adventure cave” that, rather than instilling fear in children, encourages them to enter and undergo the examination.

If you’re going to fail, do it quickly

Only one in ten startups becomes truly successful, reports Axel Täubert. Relevant statistics show that between 80 and 90 percent of all startups fail within three years. “It’s important to recognize early on when things aren’t going well,” advises Täubert. Admitting failure shouldn’t be unnecessarily delayed in the false hope that things will still turn around. Of course, this doesn’t rule out adjusting the business plan before throwing in the towel. Fortunately, failure after starting a business is no longer seen as a stigma. On the contrary, investors often view it as a sign of experience.

“Believe in your ideas; if necessary, have them patented,” advises the speaker, who had come to the Steinmühle through the efforts of Jens Ihle, the managing director of Regional Management Central Hesse. According to Täubert, the organization, based in Gießen, is also a possible place for potential founders to pitch their ideas or find out where they can do so. During the Q&A session following the presentation, Täubert also explained that there are geographical differences in Germany regarding which regions or cities are best suited for founders: “Certain universities simply offer better opportunities for support, and in certain places there is simply a strong startup ecosystem. The Lokschuppen in Marburg is one of them.”

Essential Skills for Founders

The speaker specifically described the role a school can play in turning graduates into potentially successful entrepreneurs as follows: “Anyone who can read for meaning, is good at math, is a team player, and can work independently has every chance of becoming a successful entrepreneur.” Principal Björn Gemmer, who guided the highly engaged audience through the evening, also noted that the course “Jugend gründet” (Youth Starts a Business)—analogous to “Jugend forscht” (Youth Researches)—is already established at some German schools, even as a “Special Learning Achievement” and thus as an Abitur subject.

Grades 5 through 7 discussed Axel Täubert’s book *The Classroom Coach*

A change of scene. Axel Täubert, father of two sons aged 13 and 15, fills the forum on Wednesday morning with students from grades 5 through 7 at Steinmühlen. He reads from his book *Der Classroom-Coach*, which he co-authored with education entrepreneur Daniel Jung. A little less than four years ago, Daniel Jung—the math YouTuber to whom so many students owe a debt of gratitude for help with math problems—stood here as well. A memorable quote from that time: “You saved my butt on my final exams.”

This time, in Axel Täubert’s bestseller *Classroom Coach*, the story revolves around a learning app—a tutoring app whose development stems from an idea by a student named Nele. She and her team—which, besides her, consists of Karl, Mehmet, and Aliyah—are acting as founders. It’s an exciting journey that is first read aloud on stage by Axel Täubert himself and later by four Steinmühlen students taking on the respective roles.

Despite the longer listening time, the young audience was captivated—just like Axel Täubert himself: “The students didn’t just read it—they acted it out,” he said enthusiastically, referring to the way Leo Keil (5b), Thomas Pfotenhauer (6b), Lotta Jerrentrup (7a), and Samri Wulf (7a) portrayed their respective roles.

Afterward, there was plenty of time for questions, and the students had plenty of them. It became clear just how well-informed the students were about the latest relevant websites, and they peppered the expert guest with all the questions that were on their minds. Among them were questions that Axel Täubert preferred to sidestep, such as “How much do you earn at Google?” He credited his decision to inspire young people to become entrepreneurs to his acquaintance with financial entrepreneur Carsten Maschmeyer. Together with him, he also wrote the bestseller *Die Start-Up-Gang*.

“If you’re going to do something, do something new,” the guest concluded his appearance at the Steinmühle. And who knows—maybe he’ll run into one or two of those enthusiastic young people again someday.

Axel Täubert is a retired rapper, SPIEGEL bestselling author, and Head of Startups at Google. He lived in Gießen until he graduated from high school (Liebigschule, 1996) and, prior to his current role, served as Head of Gaming at YouTube, among other positions. He founded several companies at a young age and now supports various startups as a business angel. He is also the author of children’s books and lives in Munich with his wife and two sons.

8. November 2023

Exhibition on Sustainability Issues

Art, Music & Theater, Collaborations & Partnerships, Ecology and Sustainability, News, Politics, Business & Responsibility

Ines Vielhaben’s Advanced Art Class has creatively curated an exhibition featuring impressive documentary and staged photographs that shed light on selected Sustainable Development Goals in a compelling way. This visual journey through commitment and vision awaits all interested visitors in the open workspace of the Steinmühlen main building. The photos not only tell very different stories but also encourage reflection.

According to Ines Vielhaben, the exhibition is more than just pictures on the wall—it is an invitation to view the world through the lens of sustainability.

This selection of photos provides a glimpse into the various photo series.

7. November 2023

A Glimpse into the Day-to-Day Work of the Judiciary: High School Student Theresa Figiel Reports on Her Visit to the Regional Court

News, Politics, Business & Responsibility, Steinmühle on the Road

On September 25, we, Class 8a, visited the Marburg Regional Court on Universitätsstraße as part of the “Youth and Crime” project, accompanied by our teacher, Dr. Claudia Röder. The visit was made possible by the father of one of our classmates, who works as a judge at the regional court; he also gave us a tour of the building and answered our questions. The date was chosen so that we would have the opportunity to observe a criminal trial.

We met at 8:10 a.m. at the courthouse on Universitätsstraße in the city center. Before the trial began, we had a little time to look around the building. This gave us the opportunity to see the holding cells. Defendants can be detained there on the day of their trial. These cells resemble prison cells, with a toilet, sink, table, and chair—though without a bed.

Inspection of ankle restraints and protective gear

Afterward, we spoke with a member of the security staff. Among other things, court officers are responsible for escorting and guarding prisoners in the courthouse. We were allowed to look at the equipment used for this purpose, such as handcuffs and leg irons, as well as the court officers’ protective gear.

Since the trial we wanted to attend was being held in a smaller courtroom, we took a look at the building’s largest courtroom—the jury courtroom—which was not in use that morning. It is a fairly large, high-ceilinged room, almost the size of a small gymnasium, and it also has a section for spectators. There were also many chairs for all the defendants and plaintiffs, along with their respective attorneys.

Shortly before the hearing, we took a look at a smaller courtroom at the regional court and then went to the district court shortly afterward, where the hearing took place.

The hearing was actually supposed to begin at 9 a.m. However, due to a road closure on the B3 caused by an accident, some of the participants—including the judge—were delayed, so the start of the hearing was postponed by one hour to 10 a.m.

Surveillance video from the crime scene

The criminal case heard in court involved a charge of aggravated assault and illegal possession of a weapon. The incident in question took place in Marburg in August 2022. The defendants were an 18-year-old at the time of the crime and his adoptive father. The younger of the two was accompanied by a lawyer. The plaintiff did not appear at the hearing. The trial was presided over by Juvenile Court Judge Kai Michel Dronka, and the prosecution was represented by the public prosecutor.

At the start of the trial, surveillance video from the crime scene was first reviewed, followed by an interrogation of the two defendants by the judge and the prosecutor. The younger defendant admitted to possessing the weapon; both described the physical altercation with the plaintiff as self-defense. In addition, two female witnesses were questioned; one refused to testify, while the second confirmed the defendants’ statements.

Penalty for Absence on the Day of the Hearing

After the questioning ended, a 15-minute break was scheduled. Since the hearing had started an hour later than planned, we didn’t have time to wait for the verdict and had to head back to school. Later at school, we learned that the older of the two defendants had not received a sentence. The younger one was sentenced to 80 hours of community service for illegal possession of a weapon. The plaintiff was also fined 300 euros or sentenced to three days in jail for being absent on the day of the hearing, because the judge did not accept his doctor’s note.

It was a very successful morning during which we were able to get a little insight into the day-to-day workings of the justice system and the courts. Just seeing the inside of the courthouse—which we’d otherwise only seen in photos in the newspaper—was interesting. Even though we had to head back to school before the verdict was handed down, the day was well worth it.

Photos were also taken during the visit that will serve as a memento of the day at the regional court.

11. October 2023

Junior Elections at Steinmühle: How Our Grades 9–13 Voted

News, Politics, Business & Responsibility, Surveys & Studies

As part of a school project on political education, the “Junior Elections” were once again held at Steinmühle for students in grades 9–13 in the run-up to the state legislative election on October 8. As subject teacher Eva Katharina Rink reported, the students cast their constituency votes and state votes on October 4 and 6, respectively. The charts show how voting took place at our school—and, with regard to the state-wide vote, also in comparison to the overall results of all participating schools in Hesse. Voter turnout at Steinmühle, at 85.1 percent, was higher than the state average (82.7 percent).

11. October 2023

Making the Teaching Profession More Attractive: The “Future Bus” at Steinmühle

Collaborations & Partnerships, News, Politics, Business & Responsibility

To further promote teacher recruitment, the Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs’ “Future Bus” stopped by the Q1 and Q3 upper-level classes at Steinmühle on Monday, September 11.

As part of the initiative“The Future Needs You! Become a Teacher in Hesse,”the bus is touring more than 100 schools in Hesse this year—and it also stopped at Steinmühle. Also on board: a new, innovative motivational video in virtual reality style. The goal of the video is to provide insight into the work of a teacher. The approximately 3-minute, 270-degree short film becomes an immersive experience when viewed with VR goggles. After watching the VR film, there was even a chance to find out just how much teaching potential the Steinmühle high school students have. The “Teacher Test” could be taken digitally on-site, with results appearing immediately afterward. And who knows—maybe a few of tomorrow’s teachers are already in the starting blocks.

The event at the Steinmühle was organized by Dr. Claudia Röder, who is in charge of academic and career guidance at our school.

On the recruitment of teachers in Hesse:

In addition to increasing the number of spots in elementary school teacher training programs, various career-change programs and opportunities for further training have already been established. The starting salary for elementary school teachers has also been raised. According to the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, 2,500 teachers are hired into the teaching profession each year.

8. October 2023

“Then I’ll know if this is my thing—or not”

Contests & Awards, News, Politics, Business & Responsibility

Julius Henkel, a 11th grader, completed the district’s internship week

Figuring out what career you want to pursue later in life isn’t that easy. Many upper-level students at Steinmühle know this, too. Julius Henkel, a 11th-grader in Dr. Claudia Röder’s class, has found an opportunity he can wholeheartedly recommend: participating in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district’s internship week.

During the summer break, the district, in collaboration with the startup stafftastic, offered the internship week for the first time. The concept is simple: spend five days getting to know five different professions at five different companies. There is no cost to the students.

“The whole process was pretty straightforward,” Julius recalls. “On the website www.praktikumswoche.de/marburg-biedenkopf, you can quickly get an overview of the available opportunities. You register on the site with your name, age, grade, and school, and specify the time period during which you’d like to complete your internship days. If you have a general idea of what topics interest you and where you’d like to spend a day, you can indicate that. The internship team then selects companies that match your preferences.”

Julius had set aside the third week of summer vacation for his internships. In the end, he even spent seven days visiting seven different companies. The 11th-grader proved to be flexible. His choices included skilled trades, an insurance company, a law firm, and the employment agency. “It was all interesting in its own way,” the student reports, “but I quickly realized what was more my thing and what wasn’t.” He said the amount of screen work at the law firm wasn’t really his thing when he imagined having to do that for the rest of his life. He gained valuable insights at the insurance company and now understands how important the fine print is in contracts.

“For him, it’ll probably come down to some kind of manual work,” the student summarized. Paving a new street, manufacturing materials for the automotive industry—“I’m the type who likes to see what I’ve created with my own eyes.” Sure, the tone on a construction site is rougher than in an office. But he’s confident he can handle it.

Finding the Right Career Path

For companies, the internship week offers an opportunity to get to know motivated young people with minimal organizational effort and to make a positive impression on them. The one-day internships can be structured independently, allowing companies, for example, to use their own training workshops and integrate the students into their daily work routines.

Partners in the district’s internship week include the Marburg Employment Agency, the Kassel-Marburg and Lahn-Dill Chambers of Industry and Commerce, the Marburg and Biedenkopf District Craftsmen’s Associations, the State School Authority, the University City of Marburg, and the “SchuleWirtschaft Mittelhessen” initiative. According to Nancy Bartholomes, head of the Youth Support Department at the Marburg-Biedenkopf District, plans are underway to continue offering the internship week.

For Julius Henkel, who received a certificate of participation for his week-long internship, there’s no doubt that the time was well spent. During his placement at the Employment Agency, he learned firsthand: “An alarmingly high percentage of young people end up there after graduating from high school and don’t know what to do next.”

7. October 2023