Print version Recommend this page Press release
17/ 2008
Bonn, 24.04.2008
Girls' Day at BIBB: 16 girls from Bonn explore modern occupations and today's working world
Today is a special day for Christina, Viola, Erona and Nicole. Together with 12 girlfriends they will gain their first insights into day-to-day practice in various areas of the working world. The 16 eighth-grade students from the Theodor Litt Secondary School in Bonn will acquaint themselves particularly with technical and IT occupations today, Girls' Day at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB). For example, they will learn how business cards are printed and what to watch out for when printing them. They will repair computers, service powerful servers and learn about IT operations at a modern federal agency. In addition, the Equal Opportunities Officer and the Head of Training at BIBB will give them valuable tips regarding what a professional job application should look like and practise with them in simulated job interviews what they should bear in mind when they want to make a good impression.
Manfred Kremer, President of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, received the young girls at BIBB and encouraged them to be curious and open-minded when informing themselves about the entire range of occupations that can be learned in Ger-many's dual vocational training system (which combines part-time vocational schooling with practical work experience) - particularly when it comes to technical and IT occupations. "Despite all sorts of campaigns, too many young girls are still opting to learn typical women's occupations such as office clerk, retail sales clerk, medical assistant or hairdresser," noted the BIBB president. By doing so however, they are competing with many other young girls in a handful of occupations that additionally do not pay well as a rule - even though they often have earned better grades and completed more schooling than young men have, Kremer added. Manfred Kremer: "By participating in Girls' Day, we are helping young women broaden their horizon and improve their career orientation."
Girls' Day is held nationwide with the aim of giving girls insight into technical and related oc-cupational fields and helping them expand the range of occupations they take into considera-tion. Thousands of events are being held for Girls' Day, primarily at technical firms, compa-nies with technical departments or laboratories, at universities and research facilities.
A photo of President Manfred Kremer receiving the 16 Girls' Day participants at BIBB is available at www.bibb.de/de/27398.htm .
Further information about Girls' Day activities being held throughout Germany is available in German at www.girls-day.de .
