Photo: DualWerk Kassel

DualWerk Kassel - formerly known as Berufsbildendes Gemeinschaftswerk - has been combining school and vocational training for more than 50 years: in addition to their school-leaving certificate, sixth-form students from the local Waldorf school can complete a fully-fledged vocational training course in carpentry, industrial mechanics or electronics as well as tailoring. To date, more than 1,800 graduates have benefited from this approach. As part of a comprehensive modernization, a new metal workshop was completed in 2024. With the support of SAGST, this will now be equipped with modern equipment, including optimized workstations and hexagonal workbenches. New machines and software will teach trainees how to use the latest technologies. In addition, necessary structural measures such as fire protection and extraction systems are being implemented specifically for forging.

With this design, the institution is once again becoming a pioneer - it not only offers technical innovations, but also contributes to the further development of educational work. "Especially in times of growing uncertainty and disorientation, the Berufsbildende Gemeinschaftswerk gives young people a clear perspective," explains SAGST project manager Timotheus Wersich. He is convinced that the experience of creating products for real customers raises awareness of responsibility, self-efficacy and the importance of practical skills: "The pupils experience that their efforts make a difference in the world - a beneficial impulse that goes far beyond professional qualifications." At the same time, the perception of Waldorf education in the professional world is also strengthened: companies, clients and interested parties can directly experience the importance of a holistic education that addresses thinking, feeling and acting in equal measure. The modernization of the workshops also opens up new opportunities for cooperation with companies.