School & Business
In the area of School & Business, SDW contributes to improving the quality of our schools and to increasing the learning capability of our youth by offering time-limited projects that vary greatly in content. Current topics are e.g. vocational orientation at all-day schools, systematic quality improvement at school and cross-border career orientation.
In direct dialogue with school administrations, teachers and representatives from business enterprises, SDW supports the ongoing reform process at German schools, focusing directly on the school students. In cooperation projects with companies, the students obtain authentic insights into vocational practice and thus are encouraged to explore more intensively their own expectations regarding their future professional and private lives. The projects are primarily financed by the federal and state ministries as well as business associations and other corporate foundations.
A special concern of SDW is the targeted support of school students who exhibit a special interest in science and technology. Many companies complain about an increasing lack of suitable trainees in these areas.
Currently, SDW is engaged in such a project together with NORDMETALL Foundation in Northern Germany. Both foundations pursue the goal of strengthening the interest of school students in science and technology and of motivating them to study science or engineering in college or at university. The core of this program is a mentoring system, in which SDW scholarship recipients and other science and engineering students advise and support the school students. Motivational events featuring science and technology topics round out this project.