Practical learning day in MV: Students discover career paths like in the GDR!

Practical learning day in MV: Students discover career paths like in the GDR!

The Ministry of Education of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has initiated far-reaching changes in the school system that are intended to prepare students for the future. From the new school year onwards, the practical learning day will be introduced as part of vocational orientation in schools. This means that students will work in a company once a week for an entire school semester. Similar to the times of the GDR, where productive work (PA) was already an integral part of training, today students from the seventh grade onwards are again given an insight into the world of work.

Education Minister Simone Oldenburg emphasizes that the practical learning day goes beyond traditional internships. “The students will be in the companies for four to six hours a week,” she explains. This will help them to significantly strengthen their career choice skills. This approach has already proven successful in cities like Wismar and Rostock and is becoming part of everyday school life.

First successes and perspectives

The feedback from schools is promising. Headmistress Beate Brindle reports enthusiastically about motivated students who proudly talk about their new experiences. In Neubrandenburg, the practical learning day is scheduled to start after the summer holidays, while Altentreptow and Tützpatz will follow in the second half of the coming school year. In Altentreptow, committed companies are still being sought to introduce students to a variety of careers and to promote close ties to regional companies.

The organization of the lessons will be adapted so that the teachers can optimally support the students during the practical learning day. The schools focus on a variety of career fields so that students can immerse themselves in two to three different areas to find out what they really enjoy.

Climatic influences and living situations