28.11.2007

Essen, Germany, November 28, 2007. Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH is lending its support to RUCK - the Young People's Initiative for the first time. RUCK - the Young People's Initiative accepts social responsibility, offers encouragement to young people and offers them prospects for their future. It takes the form of a strategic alliance between committed companies from the worlds of business, media and organizations It was initiated by CARE-LINE Verlag, which has over 20 years of experience in the training sector. Professor Klaus Hurrelmann, one of the leading German social and health scholars and author of the Shell study of young people, the standard work for research into young people in Germany, acts as expert advisor to the Young People's Initiative.
As a partner to RUCK - the Young People's Initiative, Karstadt is investing in school education.

Named after the well-known saying of former German President, Roman Herzog ("Germany must wake itself up with a jolt" - Ruck being the German word for jolt), the initiative improves young people's opportunities on the training market by introducing them to business-related topics which currently are dealt with insufficiently in teaching curricula. The Ruck Young People's Initiative offers Karstadt an opportunity to bring expertise from the world of trade directly into the classroom. Karstadt provides teaching material dealing with the pupil-company concept for all 15,000 second-level vocational schools throughout Germany.
The training package developed for this purpose offers teaching material which combines the practice-based instruction with business and corporate ways of thinking and acting in conjunction with games. The aim is to strengthen the pupils' expertise in working in a business environment, and to develop key skills such as the ability to work in a team, integration ability and personal responsibility.

Karstadt has recognized that there is an insufficient number of apprenticeship positions on the one hand, while companies are already experiencing difficulties in filling empty training positions on the other hand. A paradoxical situation which could get worse rather than better. Even though there is no shortage of applicants, the companies are naturally looking for employees with excellent qualifications. The change in demography will further aggravate the situation. Because if the birth rate falls, the number of suitable applicants will also fall drastically. Experts already see a threat to the economic boom in the lack of skilled labor. Basic conditions such as working hours, mobility and payment are the key factors here. Less attention has been paid to the benefits which a renowned retail company such as Karstadt can offer job starters, i.e. outstanding training and genuine promotion prospects. With a new project, Karstadt is now taking the initiative, is going to school itself to a certain extent and is providing support for young people as they launch their future careers.

Dr. Emmanuel Siregar, member of the Management Board and Director of Work at Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH has this to say: "We are committed to this initiative in order to create a stronger link between secondary schools and business so that the pupils of today are better prepared for the difficult working life of tomorrow. With the formation of pupil-run companies, this project is also an ideal motivator for arousing an interest in the corporate world."

The training package
The project entitled "Pupil-run companies create opportunities for the career world" offers pupils the opportunity to develop key skills such as initiative, the ability to work in a team and a sense of responsibility which are so important for working life later on, and to become familiar with business issues in a practical, hands-on manner. In order to make it easier to prepare for teaching these courses, a practice-based guideline for installing pupil-run companies has been developed for teachers, with copies for pupils.

What are pupil-run companies?
In pupil-run companies, pupils become the managers and employees of school cafés, event organization agencies, photo studios, theaters and travel agencies. Just like in a real company, they develop business ideas, they plan, produce and market products and they offer services. However, the pupil-run companies are not commercial enterprises but open school projects with an educational goal. The main focus is not on financial returns but on instilling basic skills in the pupils which will serve them well on the job market. The teams of pupils develop business ideas, they plan, produce and market products and they offer services.
In terms of their structure and procedures, pupil-run companies are similar to real companies. The pupils are themselves in charge of procuring capital, and of manufacturing, marketing and selling the products or services on offer. They select their form of business organization and specify their strategies. Just like in the real business world, the company has to stick to specified procedures such as purchasing, production, sales, salaries, accounting, taxes and social security deductions. The pupils take main responsibility for the company though parents, relations and acquaintances from outside the school may offer them support. The teacher plays the role of supervisor or company advisor.

Competition
Karstadt wants to honor particularly high levels of commitment and dedication from pupils as well as from their teachers in a appropriate manner. To this end, this teaching project is accompanied by a nation-wide competition. To take part in the competition, the pupil-run companies are requested to send their business plans to CARE-LINE Verlag by June 20, 2008. A jury will examine the submissions and then select the winners. The best pupil-run companies will receive Karstadt laptops for their school.

Young people's comic
Schule aus - mach was draus!
Schools which register for the competition by February 20, 2008, will receive the 64-page young people's comic "Schule aus - mach was draus"! free of charge. The title of this comic loosely translates as "School is out - make something of it". Everything in the comic revolves around topics such as career orientation, finding a career and applying for jobs. Trendy drawings and texts make it easier for young people to identify with the protagonists Mira, Sven, Ali and Flo. Every chapter contains large numbers of tips and strategies.

Press contact:
Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH
Corporate communication
Michael Scheibe
Telephone: +49 (0)201 / 727 - 2124
E-mail: michael.scheibe@karstadt.de