How does school prepare their students for the working career? Here is the concept of the Realschule Uetze in Germany.

1. ____________________________________________
Concept of the Realschule Uetze
Preparation for the working career
I. General information
The German educational system is not organized nationwide but is subject to the
responsibility of the 16 federal states. While there are common standards for school
curricula which have to be fulfilled by all the states, each federal state can choose the
organization of their schooling system freely. Thus, there are considerable
differences between the structures in education.
In Lower-Saxony, 4 years of Primary School are followed by Secondary School Level
I, which culminates in the school leaving certificate after grade 10. After that, there is
Secondary School Level II, leading up to the ‘Abitur’. In Secondary School Level I,
there are two parallel but different systems. On the one hand, there is the tripartite
school system (Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasium), in which three different
proficiency levels are taught separately. On the other hand, there is the Integrated
School (Integrierte Gesamtschule), which unites students of all proficiency levels.
Right now, many communities are deciding for an integrated school and thus also the
Realschule Uetze is in conversion at the moment.
When achieving good to very good results, students of Haupt- and Realschule may
go on to the Secondary Level II and thus attain an Abitur. In addition to the
Gymnasium, which enables the students to study any field, there are a large number
of professional schools that enable students to attain an Abitur that is restricted to a
certain area of studies.
The Realschule Uetze is following the goal of preparing the students for both options
after grade 10: The continuation in Secondary Level II as well as a vocational
apprenticeship. Deriving from this goal are the following measures in addition to the
learning content.

2. II. Special programs and activities
Grade 8:
1. Obligatory participation in „Future Day“
All the students from grade 8 visit a company of their choice to get to know a typical
workday in this field. This day is followed up by presentations of the students in the
subject ‘Economy’. They inform their classmates in a kind of presentation about their
experience, give explanations on the profession and describe the typical work
sequences.
Thus, all the students get to know a multitude of companies, professions and
operational procedures.
2. Plant visits
en.wikipedia.org en.wikepedia.org flickr.com
Realschule Uetze cooperates with different local companies, such as “Avista Oil”, a
company that recycles used oil. All students of grade 8 take part in a plant visit at the
companies’ place of business. It is followed up by a discussion with the personnel
office. Students are told important information about the procedures of an application.
Selected students also get to take part in a simulated job interview.
3. Application for an internship
In German lessons, students are taught to write an application and a curriculum vitae
for an internship that will take place in grade 9.
flickr.com

3. II. Special programs and activities
Grade 8:
1. Obligatory participation in „Future Day“
All the students from grade 8 visit a company of their choice to get to know a typical
workday in this field. This day is followed up by presentations of the students in the
subject ‘Economy’. They inform their classmates in a kind of presentation about their
experience, give explanations on the profession and describe the typical work
sequences.
Thus, all the students get to know a multitude of companies, professions and
operational procedures.
2. Plant visits
en.wikipedia.org en.wikepedia.org flickr.com
Realschule Uetze cooperates with different local companies, such as “Avista Oil”, a
company that recycles used oil. All students of grade 8 take part in a plant visit at the
companies’ place of business. It is followed up by a discussion with the personnel
office. Students are told important information about the procedures of an application.
Selected students also get to take part in a simulated job interview.
3. Application for an internship
In German lessons, students are taught to write an application and a curriculum vitae
for an internship that will take place in grade 9.
flickr.com

4. Grade 9:
1. Preparation of application documents
In German lessons, students prepare an application with application letter, curriculum
vitae and enclosure containing school reports and additional certificates.
2. Application training
The students get to know different kinds of tests applied by companies. On the one
hand, a written test to assess their competencies in the areas of mathematics, verbal
and writing skills and common knowledge. On the other hand, students learn about
the determination of competencies of the capacity of teamwork and presentations in
Assessments.
Skilled personnel from different companies conduct simulated job interviews.
en.wikipedia.org
3. Internships
The students pass two 14-day-long internships in a company of their choice. The
internships are prepared and followed up in the subject ‘Economy’ and are
accompanied by the class teachers, who visit the students at their places of work.
Each student makes a portfolio about both internships, that includes information on
the company, day and week reports, as well as a detailed description of the
occupational process. This portfolio is graded and part of the mark in the subject
“Economy”.
4. Visit to an apprenticeship fair
Together with their class teachers, the students visit ‘Vocatium’ in Hanover, a fair for
apprenticeships, where companies present themselves to the students. Here,
students can get in touch with certain companies and inform themselves about the
possibilities and chances of an apprenticeship of their choice.
flickr.com

5. 5. Help for applications
In the subject ‘Economy’, students are shown the different options to find a place for
an apprenticeship and they are offered help for the application procedure.
6. Career advisor
Regularly, the students have the possibility of seeking the advice of a career advisor
of the employment agency at school.
commons.wikimedia.org
Grade 10:
1. Informative meetings
Together with their parents, students take part in an informative meeting about the
career possibilities after finishing Realschule.
2. Social Security in professional life
Part of the “Economy” curriculum is a unit about Social Security that includes
information about income taxes and the obligatory insurances on health, nursing,
pension and accident.
flickr.com pixabay.com