education – Wirtschaftsstandort Ostalbkreis

A head start through knowledge

A strong educational offering for a strong educational location.

Education and lifelong learning are crucial for the social and economic development of a region. Educational equity for all citizens and the best possible learning and training opportunities for children and young people are the goals of the BildungsRegion Ostalb (BiRO). The district sets impulses, manages and coordinates numerous activities, thematic programs and projects. Together with numerous network partners such as chambers, associations, churches, counseling centers, companies or the employment agency, the Ostalbkreis continues to develop the lively educational landscape. A central element here is the annual education conference. The Ostalbkreis is one of several model regions in Baden-Württemberg to redesign the transition from school to work with a variety of building blocks. The background to this is the demographically induced decline in the number of schoolchildren with a simultaneous increase in the need for skilled workers on the labor market. With the ZUKUNFT career orientation measure, systematic career orientation is anchored at all community, technical and secondary schools as well as vocational schools in the Ostalbkreis district. In addition, the ZUKUNFTGYM project is currently being tested at four high schools. The Ostalb education portal at www.bildungsportal-ostalb.de provides orientation and information on the diverse education landscape in the Ostalbkreis.

Cornerstones of school and vocational education

The Ostalbkreis region offers a total of 86 elementary schools, 14 community schools, 27 secondary schools, 18 vocational schools, 16 high schools, a state high school for gifted students in Schwäbisch Gmünd and 17 special education and counseling centers. Two evening schools enable students to catch up on their secondary school leaving certificate up to the Abitur. These are provided by the Abendhauptschule of the Volkshochschule Aalen e.V. or by the Abendgymnasium Ostwürttemberg e.V., also in Aalen. Trainees in the Ostalbkreis district acquire multifaceted expertise at one of the three large vocational school centers in Aalen, Ellwangen and Schwäbisch Gmünd with a total of eight vocational schools in almost 100 dual training occupations. In addition, there are many other opportunities to learn a trade – for example, as part of full-time education courses or full-time apprenticeships. The Schulnavi Ostalbkreis is an orientation aid in the vocational education landscape: www.schulnavi-ostalbkreis.de

Academic education

With no less than three university locations in Aalen, Schwäbisch Gmünd and Ellwangen, the Ostalbkreis district is very well positioned in the area of academic degrees and research. Students from all over Germany and the world take advantage of the wide range of courses on offer. Teaching and research in key technologies such as AI, materials engineering, optics and mechatronics as well as economics offer students a wealth of knowledge for their future careers. The humanities, educational, social and health-oriented degree programs make a valuable contribution to the educational, social and medical/nursing infrastructure in the district. Far beyond the district borders, the Ostalbkreis is known as a traditional location for teacher training.

Hochschule Aalen Technik und Wirtschaft
SRH FernHochschule – Studienzentrum Ellwangen
Hochschule für Gestaltung Schwäbisch Gmünd
Pädagogische Hochschule Schwäbisch Gmünd

Weiterbildungstag in einem Konferenzraum mit einem Sprecher und verschiedenen Zuschauern.

Lifelong learning

The future-oriented qualification of skilled workers is crucial to remaining competitive and keeping up with changes in the world of work. In order to find a suitable offer from the numerous providers of vocational further training, advice can be obtained, for example, from the regional office for vocational further training in Aalen, as well as from the chambers and the employment agency. Information on financing can also be obtained there. Academic in-service training is offered by the Graduate Campus at Aalen University and the Center for Knowledge Transfer (ZWPH) at Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Education. While corporations often set up their own programs for the further development of their skilled workers, this is not always easy for smaller companies. This is precisely where the Bildungswerk der baden-Württembergischen Wirtschaft e.V. comes in with its qualification networks. In such an alliance, several companies with similar requirements and needs can join forces and jointly provide their employees with further training. The quality of further training in all companies increases as a result of precisely tailored training programs, while the costs of further training are reduced because they are distributed among the companies in the network. Network managers are available in the Ostalbkreis district to provide advice, coordination and support for the further training measures.

Educational opportunities for all generations

There are also many ways to further your education in the Ostalbkreis district that go beyond the traditional educational paths. The five adult education centers in the district provide an excellent opportunity for this. They offer a wide range of courses and lectures: language courses, job & career workshops, energy topics, PC courses for seniors and much more make personal and professional further education possible at any age. The senior citizens‘ college of the Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Education also enables interested people to take part in lectures, excursions or themed groups. The Catholic Adult Education Ostalb (keb) or the German Employees Academy (DAA) Ostwürttemberg also enrich with their educational offers for work and leisure. In the area of children and youth work, there are numerous institutions and programs, ranging from youth cafés to vacation programs and vocational preparation measures. The children’s university of the PH Schwäbisch Gmünd or the University of Applied Sciences Aalen already inspire young people for future topics with exciting workshops and lectures and regular participation is rewarded with semester certificates.