Source: Own Illustration
What comes after school? Apprenticeship, college, or something completely different for now? For many students, deciding on their own career path isn’t easy. That’s exactly where the “NRW Apprenticeship Ambassadors” project comes in: Trainees visit schools and share firsthand accounts of their apprenticeship programs, their day-to-day work, and their personal journey into apprenticeship. The IT Center is also participating in the project—with three apprentices who share their experiences with students.
Career Guidance from Apprentices for Students
The project aims to give young people an authentic insight into apprenticeship and support them in their career planning. The information comes directly from young people who are currently completing apprenticeship themselves. This allows students to ask questions about the content of the training programs, learn what a typical workday looks like, and discover the career prospects that apprenticeship offers.
Before the apprentices begin their roles as ambassadors, they participate in a training program offered by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Afterward, they can take part in various types of events.
Three Apprentices, Three Perspectives
At the IT Center, three apprentices are serving as apprenticeship ambassadors. Robyn Bloß and Julian Diaconu are completing an apprenticeship as IT Specialists for System Integration, while Alina Engers is training to become a Mathematical-Technical Software Developer (MATSE).
For all of them, a similar idea is at the heart of their work: supporting students in making an important decision and perhaps also showing them career opportunities they weren’t previously aware of.
From School Classes to Career Fairs
The apprenticeship ambassadors have already been active at various events. These include presentations to school classes, discussion sessions with small groups, and career orientation fairs. At larger events, several apprentices from different apprenticeship programs often introduce themselves so that students can learn about as many career paths as possible.
Among other things, the IT Center’s apprentices tell the young people about their daily work, their projects, the support they receive during their training, and apprenticeship school. The application process, future prospects, and salary expectations are also discussed. For the MATSE program, the connection between apprenticeship and higher education is an additional focus.
Breaking Down Prejudices and Highlighting Opportunities
The students’ reactions vary. Especially at the beginning of an event, interest isn’t always high. However, personal questions often quickly spark a dialogue. It also becomes clear that some young people initially have very specific—or different—ideas about IT careers. The “nerd” stereotype is still prevalent, and girls in particular are sometimes initially skeptical of technical careers. This makes personal interaction all the more important: The apprentices can demonstrate just how diverse work in IT actually is and the various career paths it can lead to.
The value of an apprenticeship compared to a university degree also comes up time and again during school visits. The apprenticeship ambassadors observe that some young people are still heavily oriented toward the Abitur and university, and an apprenticeship is not automatically perceived as an equally valid option. That’s why the IT Center’s apprentices want to show that an apprenticeship can be a versatile path to a professional future and offers numerous opportunities for development and career prospects.
For the apprenticeship ambassadors themselves, these visits are also a valuable experience. They learn to present to large groups of people they don’t know, respond spontaneously to questions, and engage in conversation with a younger generation.
Try Things Out and Gain Experience
Their most important tip for students who don’t yet know what they want to do after high school: Do internships, try things out, and gain your own experience. These are particularly valuable when choosing a career. It’s worth getting to know not only the profession itself but also the company where you’ll eventually do your apprenticeship. After all, the people you work with during your apprenticeship can have a major impact on your experience.
For the IT Center’s apprenticeship ambassadors, one thing is paramount: providing guidance to young people, breaking down prejudices, and showing them various paths to a professional future. In doing so, they raise awareness of their apprenticeship trades and share their personal experiences with the next generation.
Apprenticeships at the IT Center
Are you interested in an apprenticeship at the IT Center? You can find out which apprenticeships are available at the IT Center and get all the information about the IT Center as an education provider on the IT Center website.
For more information on the “NRW Apprenticeship Ambassadors” project, visit the IHK website.
Responsible for the content of this article are Robyn Bloß, Julian Diaconu, Alina Engers and Hannah Loock.
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