Kaufmännische Schulen Hanau – school profile

Main entrance

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Overview

Kaufmännische Schulen Hanau founded in 1967, is part of the vocational education system with its focus on the field of business and administration.

In 2020, approx. 2200 students attend KSH, about 1400 of them full-time and 800 part-time. Moreover, the staff is composed of approx. 140 teachers and 6 administrative employees. The school offers general and vocational educational opportunities in different types of schools.

Types of schools offered at KSH

Full-time

A) “Berufliches Gymnasium – Senior High School”

This type of school belongs to the upper secondary level and is comparable to a senior high school. It comprises the grades 11-13 and is divided into an introductory phase (grade 11) and a qualifying phase (grade 12 and 13).

The Berufliche Gymnasium at KSH offers a three-year full-time program which au-thorizes pupils to pursue academic careers or to start job training programmes on the basis of the dual system of vocational education (apprenticeship program). In case of choosing an apprenticeship a time credit is possibly granted. This school type is offered in three different main course fields. One is especially focused on business-oriented subjects in preparation of employment in business and admin-istration. Moreover, a bilingual economics class is offered as well. The second one has its focus on health care while the third one is focused on pedagogics. Neverthe-less, the curriculum of all course fields includes general subjects such as Mathe-matics, German and English. The final examination is called Abitur which leads to the Hochschulreife, a general higher education degree.

B) “Fachoberschule”

This is an advanced full-time vocational school comparable to a senior high school but lasts one year shorter than the Berufliche Gymnasium. It is offered in two differ-ent forms:
Form A comprises the 11th and 12th grade and is addressed to pupils who have graduated the Mittlerer Bildungsabschluss (intermediate standard, grade 5-10). At-tending this form includes a part-time practical training within the 11th grade.
Form B shortens the education to one year (12th grade) and is confined to pupils who have reached the Mittlerer Bildungsabschluss and have undergone an appren-ticeship afterwards.

Both forms are focused on the vocational field of business and administration and qualify pupils for higher education by passing the final examination called Fach-hochschulreife (advanced technical college entrance qualification). After this they are entitled to enroll at a Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sciences) or they can take part in an apprenticeship program of the dual system of vocational educa-tion.

C) Zweijährige Höhere Berufsfachschule für kaufmännische Assistentinnen und Assistenten

This two-year school type requires a Mittlerer Bildungsabschluss (intermediate qual-ification, grade 5-10) and leads to state-recognized examinations as assistant. At KSH two different qualifications are offered: “Management Assistant in Office Management and Communication“ [“Staatlich geprüfte/r kaufmännische/r Assist-ent/in für Bürowirtschaft“] and „Management Assistant as Foreign-Language / Bi-lingual Secretary” [“Staatlich geprüfte/r kaufmännische/r Assistent/in für das Fremdsprachensekretariat“]. Here the compulsory foreign language is English and as a second language there is a choice between Spanish and French.
Both qualifications are offered as full-time courses including a four week internship at a company.

D) Zweijährige Berufsfachschule für Wirtschaft und Verwaltung

The two-year Berufsfachschule (technical school) offered at KSH is focused on business and administration. It leads to an intermediate school leaving certificate. So students attend it after having successfully finished their compulsory full-time education or in case they have been promoted to grade 9. After successfully gradu-ating the transition to an apprenticeship in a company with a reduction in duration time is possible.

Part-time

A) “Fachschule für Wirtschaft”

This type of school offers a continuing / further vocational education for three years and is classified in the tertiary sector. It builds on initial vocational training and sub-sequent employment and leads to a further qualification in a profession. So here a more in-depth vocational education and further training is provided for students who aspire to take over tasks in middle management. At KSH it is offered with two dif-ferent focuses: one is marketing and the second one is controlling. The students at-tend
school on two evenings and on Saturdays with the aim to reach a state-recognized certificate in further vocational education in one of the specialized fields.

B) “Berufsschule”

Berufsschule is a vocational school at an upper secondary level providing part-time instruction in general and mainly in vocational subjects to apprentices / trainees re-ceiving vocational education and training within the dual system.

All apprentices learning a trade in Germany usually participate in the dual system of vocational education and training. The system is called dual because vocational training takes place both at a part-time vocational school and in a company. De-pending on the former qualification, the apprenticeship is offered as a two to three-year program.
So on the one hand KSH supplements company based training by theoretical in-struction. On the other hand the company provides the apprentices mostly with practical training.
At KSH our pupils achieve the apprenticeship certificates in the following profes-sions, which will be granted after successfully completing the parallel company training and passing a final examination provided by the Chamber of Commerce

• Industrial (commercial) clerks
• IT professions such as IT officers and IT application developers
• Bank clerks
• Office Management Assistant
• Management Assistant in Office Communication
• Administrative specialists, specialized in administrating city council offices
• Legal secretaries / executives.
• Tax secretaries / executives
• Management Assistant for Retail Services / in Retail Business
• Management Assistant in Wholesale and Foreign Trade
• Sales assistant for retail services
• Medical Assistant
• Qualified Dental Employee