As the end of school approaches, the question of what to do after school becomes more and more pressing. In 2008, the city of Salzgitter and Salzgitter AG launched career guidance programs in Salzgitter and the region to help young people choose the right path early on. "I still remember the first talks with Peter-Jürgen Schneider, then Labor Director of Salzgitter AG, very well. We talked about the fact that regional companies were lacking young talent and were increasingly struggling with trainees dropping out. There had to be something that would help pupils make a well-considered career choice and give them the opportunity to try things out before making this decision," says Frank Klingebiel, Mayor of Salzgitter. That was the birth of the program "Career Orientation and Securing Young Talent in Salzgitter (BONA SZ)".

To date, this idea has resulted in eight career guidance programs in cooperation with many regional stakeholders, which help pupils from all over the region to choose a suitable career. In February 2019, BONA SZ celebrated its tenth anniversary at Kranich-Gymnasium in Salzgitter-Lebenstedt. In his welcoming address, Minister of Education Grant Hendrik Tonne praised, among other things, the cooperation between school and business, which "is practised here in an exemplary manner".

The professional world is changing faster than ever before. Companies must make greater efforts to recruit young professionals. Digitalization is accelerating processes and demands on employees and employers in almost all areas. "This makes career guidance programs, which are now a tried and tested part of most general education schools in our region, all the more important. This enables pupils to better assess their talents and interests, make contacts at an early stage, try out alternatives without obligation and thus expand their range of career choices," says Oliver Syring, Managing Director of Allianz für die Region GmbH.

The players also want to show that there are many attractive employers in the region with a wide range of career paths and fields of activity. Another important message is that studying is not the only way to achieve a goal, which is why it is becoming increasingly important for secondary schools to integrate structured orientation programs. To make the skilled trades more appealing, BONA SZ gives pupils valuable insights into careers that they may never have considered otherwise. For example, it becomes clear that chimney sweeps today are also measurement technicians and roofers need photovoltaic expertise, among other things. In the future, the participants want to further expand their cooperation with industry and provide more support to companies that have particular difficulties in finding junior staff in their search for suitable specialists.