Felix Strauß - former pupil
I am very grateful for my time at the Schloss-Schule. I left with a solid foundation - both professionally and personally. People often criticize the school for not preparing students for life. But my experience at the Schloss-Schule was different. I remember many wonderful moments and close friendships. I am particularly grateful for the great career guidance concept with its clear structure and very helpful events, discussions and information.
Today I am proud to say that I was a Schloss student!
To our alumni interviews
While still at school: intensive preparation for later professional life
Even during school, it is important to think outside the box and to consider what might happen afterwards. Apart from the BOGY internship (vocational and study orientation at general secondary schools), which is mandatory in Baden-Württemberg and takes place in year 9, we at the Schloss-Schule try to provide our students with a high level of vocational orientation every school year through various cross-grade support concepts, which we would like to briefly introduce here.
In the run-up to the eight-day BOGY internship, the correct writing of application letters and CVs is practiced so that nothing stands in the way of a formally correct application for an internship or a later apprenticeship. Alternative application procedures are also discussed here, whereby the students are given the opportunity to research internships or write an initial application for an internship during the lessons.
Furthermore, our first study day in year 9 is an entire school day at the beginning of the school year or in the fall dedicated to career guidance. On the one hand, our students complete a self-assessment test, through which they learn about potentially suitable career fields based on their individual strengths, talents and abilities. On the other hand, we also provide training for job interviews with the support of external experts from regional companies (Baden-Württemberg). In the course of this, our students also gain an insight into possible company recruitment tests.
In addition, an age-appropriate careers guidance event is held at our school in years 8, 10, 11 and 12, which is conducted by the careers advisor responsible for us at the Federal Employment Agency.
Our intention is for pupils at our school to find out at an early stage what is important in working life, what they should bring with them from school and where it is worth "honing" themselves and their skills.
Our partnerships with local companies also provide our students with various opportunities for internships, including in the STEM field.
We place a high value on self-reflection in the internship reports to be written after the internship. The first experiences in working life are followed up in the subject of Economics / Vocational and Study Orientation (WBS). As the careers advisor responsible for training and careers comes to our school for individual consultations several times during the school year, students have the opportunity to receive advice based on their experiences during their internship (or when looking for an internship).
The social internship in year 10 as well as company tours and company days, which are organized by teachers or the BO representative, are another option for career guidance.
In addition, the Schloss-Schul-Verein offers a careers information evening for the course level, where regional companies and universities are invited and former students talk about their careers.
Independently of the career and study orientation opportunities listed here, our Year 8 pupils take part in the nationwide "Girls' and Boys' Day" and the pupils in Course Level I take part in the nationwide study information day for the upper school, although there have recently been changes here:
In the 2022/23 school year, Girls' & Boys' Day was organized for the first time with partner companies here on site. This should give our students the opportunity to get to know more than one profession or occupational field on this day. The concept was for the pupils to be divided into gender-separated groups - in order to get closer to the character of the day - in a kind of professional or economic "speed dating" in five 90-minute time slots at our school to gain insights into job profiles from five different companies. The companies covered a wide range, from solar manufacturers to logistics companies and the police to mechanical engineering.
In the 2023/2024 school year, the orientation test for studying in Baden-Württemberg as part of a BO event preceded the study information day for course level I. In future, pupils will be able to use the results of the test (suggestions of universities and universities of applied sciences with courses that appear suitable) for their individual and independent planning of the study information day. Furthermore, the orientation test, together with a mandatory reflection on the study information day, provides a possible basis for discussion with the careers advisor for training and studies with regard to one's own professional orientation.