University builds international students a bridge to the German job market

The "Promote your Career" project focuses on students on English-language Master's degree courses - these are particularly attractive for international students, while at the same time graduates leave the university with a high level of qualification, but often without the specific German language skills required for the local job market. In future, the university will offer additional language courses for them, for example for technical and business German, but will also impart knowledge about the economic structure or offer special career advice and job application training. In some cases, students will be able to earn credits. The provision of company contacts, including internships, is also being stepped up and the students concerned are offered special advice to help them gain a foothold in the German job market as seamlessly as possible.

"Promote your Career" focuses on the four Master's degree courses "Economic Behavior and Governance", "International Food Business and Consumer Studies", "Global Political Economy and Development" and "Electrical Communication Engineering". However, many of the courses are open to other international Master's students. The project is supported by the German Academic Exchange Service as part of a "Campus Initiative for International Experts" funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

"With this initiative, we want to become even more attractive to students from abroad, drive forward our internationalization and also support the regional economy in recruiting skilled workers," explained University President Prof. Dr. Ute Clement. "With the establishment of a total of twelve English-language Master's degree courses, we have already done a lot to achieve this in recent years." Ute Clement added: "We know from surveys and consultations that many foreign students want to gain a professional foothold in Germany. At the same time, companies want qualified workers. We want to help both sides find each other more quickly and get involved with each other. On the part of the companies, we want them to understand that perfect German language skills are not available from the outset."

The program starts with the new academic year in the coming winter semester and runs until the end of 2028. It is supported by the German Academic Exchange Service with 1.15 million euros. A kick-off event with interested companies will take place on September 19.

In the past winter semester, 1,547 international students were enrolled for a Master's degree (out of 6,164 Master's students in total).

Background:

Last year, the Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs published a forecast on the shortage of skilled workers in Hesse until 2028, according to which there is a shortage of more than 3,000 academically trained workers in the city and district of Kassel alone. The metal industry and the automotive sector are particularly affected. In the districts of Schwalm-Eder, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Hersfeld-Rotenburg and Werra-Meißner, there is a predicted shortfall of 4,000 people.

https://www.hessische-berufsprognosen.de/prognosebericht-und-regionaldossiers/

Contact:

Britta Wöbbeking/Maria Weisensee
University of Kassel
International Office
Tel.: 0561 804-7159 or -3564
Mail: promote-your-career[at]uni-kassel[dot]de