Facts and Figures

Berufskolleg Siegburg is a vocational college (ages 16+, mixed, non-denominational) that concentrates on business and commerce. It was founded in 1966 and has been steadily growing since then. The Wirtschaftsgymnasium, a three year course that leads to the Abitur (the German entrance qualification for University) was established in 1997 and is attended by about 10% of our students. 25% of the students attend the Höhere Berufsfachschule, a two-year course leading to the Fachabitur (the entrance qualification for University of Applied Science). 15% attend the Berufsfachschule and 50% of the students are enrolled in day release vocational courses. Approximately 2600 students are attending our college. The staff of Berufskolleg Siegburg consists of 140 teachers, three secretaries and two janitors. There are three smaller schools located in the towns of Bad Honnef, Eitorf and Neuenkirchen which are also part of BKS.

Location

Berufskolleg Siegburg is located in Siegburg (about 42.500 inhabitants), a historical town founded approx. 1000-500 BC. Siegburg is in the west of Germany, near the former capital of Germany, Bonn. Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany (341.926 inhabitants), located about 20 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Siegburg is well connected by public transport. Frankfurt Airport (FA), the biggest international airport in Germany, can be reached by the high-speed rail line in about 40 minutes, Cologne Bonn Airport (CBA) in less than 20 minutes by car. Siegburg, Bonn and Cologne are also connected by light rail (Stadtbahn). Bonn can be reached by light rail in about 15 minutes.

Bonn is the seat of some of Germany's largest corporate players, chiefly in the areas of telecommunications and logistics. Simultaneously, Bonn is establishing itself as an important national and international centre of meetings, conventions and conferences, many of which are directly related to the work of the United Nations. A new conference centre capable of hosting thousands of participants is currently under construction in the immediate vicinity of the UN Campus.

Besides the beautiful landscape that can be enjoyed along the river Rhine there are many interesting sights (castles and residences, museums, churches) in Bonn and in Siegburg. The major symbol of Siegburg is its monastery, an abbey founded by the Benedictines in 1064.

Courses

BKS offers various courses that are described as follows: 

➢    Berufsschule (part time, day release vocational courses in the dual system) ➢    Berufsfachschule (full time vocational course – basic course)
➢    Höhere Berufsfachschule (full time vocational course – advanced course)
➢    Wirtschaftsgymnasium (full time vocational course – advanced course)

Berufsschule (part time vocational courses)

Part time vocational training is offered for school-leavers who have a position as an apprentice. This course is an obligatory part of their job training in the dual system in which the apprenticeship is organized in Germany. This means usually one or two days of school alternate with on-the-job training in a company (day release). After two or three years’ apprenticeship students / apprentices take an exam at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammer). 

At BKS part time vocational training is offered in the following jobs:

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Berufsfachschule (full time vocational courses – basic course) 

School-leavers who are not 18 and who do not start an apprenticeship are obliged to attend a vocational college until they are of age. Teaching at BKS consists of both vocational training (about 60%) and general education (about 40%). 

• A) Einjährige Berufsfachschule

Einjährige Berufsfachschule is an orientation course for students who are not sure yet if they want to apply for a commercial apprenticeship. 

• B) Zweijährige Berufsfachschule 

Zweijährige Berufsfachschule is a two-year course of basic vocational training.

Höhere Berufsfachschule (full time vocational course – advanced course) 

• A) Zweijährige Höhere Berufsfachschule

Zweijährige Höhere Berufsfachschule is a two years’ course that prepares students – in combination with a period of six months’ job placement in a company – to enter University of Applied Science (Fachhochschule). The course also helps students improve chances of starting and apprenticeship.

• B) Dreijährige Höhere Berufsfachschule (Wirtschaftsgymnasium)

After three years of Wirtschaftsgymnasium students will get the University Entrance Qualification (Abitur) if they pass their examination (written exams in three subjects plus at least one oral exam in another subject).

Subjects

The following subjects are taught at Berufskolleg Siegburg:

Exchange programmes 

We are currently looking for partner schools to set up a student exchange for our students of the Wirtschaftsgymnasium (University Entrance Qualification) and of the Höhere Berufsfachschule (University Entrance Qualification for Applied Science). We would especially appreciate to find a partner school in GB and/or in Scandinavia which is also specialized in Business Studies and Economics.

Contact 

For questions please contact
Anne Lorenz (teacher, English/Spanish)
anne.lorenz[at]berufskolleg-siegburg.de 

BKS has also a profile on Global Gateway and eTwinning.