A generationA few months later, Christian Nötzold began to take life seriously for the third time. After starting school and transferring from school to university, his physical education studies at the University of Mainz are about to end. Then began the transition to professional life. “People are gradually realizing that the course will end soon,” he said. He submitted his bachelor thesis in the summer, but still lacked two practical exams and an internship opportunity.
Then, Nötzold uses exercise in the clinic to treat people with mental and physical illnesses. “Initially I wanted to work in sports management after graduation,” he said. But he especially liked sports psychology during his studies. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he wants to do several internships to clarify what he wants to do in the future. “When I was looking for internship opportunities, I noticed that the transition from study to work was very difficult,” Nötzold said. There are too many physical education students and too little work.
Many students like him. “Especially students in linguistics or humanities find it difficult to transition to professional life,” said Kerstin Koch, who is in charge of the project. Federal Work Agency Advising schoolchildren and students on professional issues in Darmstadt. Later careers were not as clear-cut as medicine or teaching. “Historicists are unlikely to find work in archives or museums.”
One-third worried about falling wages
Kai Mühleck knows that it takes about three months for vocational beginners in this country to find a job after completing their studies. At the German University and Research Center (DZHW), he conducts research on educational trajectories. In international comparison, the entry of German university graduates into the labor market is relatively good. “This is mainly due to the good labor market conditions in Germany.” Those who graduated from a university of applied sciences or got a master’s degree from the university usually find “sufficient jobs” in Germany, that is, a position and a salary based on their qualifications. Only those who leave university after completing a bachelor’s degree have a slightly lower chance of finding a suitable position.
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But through Corona For many people, the complexity of the transition has increased. Many companies have frozen recruitment, job students are unemployed, and job fairs have been cancelled. Career consultant Koch said: “The new crown virus makes it more difficult for students to connect with companies and build networks.” According to a survey conducted by DZHW last summer, four out of ten students expected to delay entry into the labor market due to corona. One in six is worried about the loss of wages.
Even those who can get one of the coveted internship positions or student jobs usually start in the home office. “This makes it more difficult to understand team structure and processes and integration,” said Ursula Krämer, who advises students on career issues at the University of Frankfurt. This is very important to make the transition to professional life as smooth as possible. Most job postings require not only professional knowledge, but also practical experience. Therefore, she urgently recommends internship, freelance or working student work. “Working during the study period has a positive effect on job search and future income,” Mühleck said. He helped build the network. Kerstin Koch said, because the company decides not the formal qualifications, but whether they already know the applicant. “Then they know you can rely on one person, and they already know the workflow.”
The need for safe work is growing
This is why you should reflect on your strengths and abilities as early as possible, especially in courses with uncertain career prospects. This will not only help you choose the right internship, but it will also give you more confidence in the job interview. Because in the era of virtual assessment centers, the barriers to restraint have risen, such as participating in group discussions.
In addition to career counseling, many universities also provide job fairs or application days for students to allow companies and young scholars to get to know each other. University researcher Mühleck said that in Germany, the connection between education and work is relatively close. However, most courses are very theoretical. Internships are not mandatory in all places. “Therefore, students should consider how to translate their knowledge into practice and communicate,” Koch said. For example, students should be able to explain the topic of their thesis to a non-professional human resource manager in an easy-to-understand manner. During the pandemic, she observed that more and more students have an increasing need for safe work. “Working in a promising security industry has also become more important.” The need for security is also reflected in wage requirements. “Before Corona, the topic of money was not so superficial.” It was more about finding the right job and doing something meaningful. But this has also changed.
