Practice year 16+: Students earn money and gain professional experience!

Practice year 16+: Students earn money and gain professional experience!

An exciting new project for students from 16 years starts in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis! The 16+ practice year enables high school students to immerse yourself in the exciting world of the companies and also earn money. With 80 paid hours, the young people can gain valuable insights into different professional fields and at the same time earn an additional pocket money - and according to the minimum wage!

The initiative comes in response to alarming dropout rates in training occupations and courses. Statistics show that almost 30 percent of trainees and over 35 percent of students cancel their training prematurely. "This is a lost opportunity for young people and a loss for the companies that urgently need specialists," explains Daniel Schindewolf from the youth welfare planning. To counteract this, pupils and companies should be brought together to promote successful professional orientation.

diverse professional fields for selection

The students can choose from 16 different professional fields, including agriculture, IT, health and media. The project is aimed primarily at high school students, since the main and junior high school students are already well looked after. The 80 hours can be divided flexibly, so that the students can also work on vacation in consultation with the companies. With an hourly wage of 12.82 euros, this results in a total of over 1000 euros for the pupils for the entire duration of the project. "This is a great opportunity to make contacts and gain practical experience," emphasizes Johannes Thomas from the business development agency.

From now on, interested students can leave their contact at the Werra-Meißner district. Numerous companies from the region, from banks to retailers and industrial companies, support the project and offer exciting internships. "If a student's desired field is not there, we can help to establish the right connection," added Schindewolf. A certificate at the end of the practical year rounds off the offer and offers the students a valuable evidence of their experiences.