My involvement in KarriereStart
Zhaniya, a Kazakh student assistant, shares her experiences at Saxony’s largest education fair.
In September 2023, I came to Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences from Kazakhstan to study as part of a dual-degree program. In January 2024, I began working as a student assistant in my university’s Public Relations Department. A special opportunity arose shortly thereafter: supporting my department at the KarriereStart career fair in Dresden, which took place from January 19 to 21.
KarriereStart is the largest education and career fair in Saxony and celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. A total of 540 exhibitors showcased their offerings in the four exhibition halls, which covered an area of 17,500 m². The fair covers a broad spectrum—from career guidance to vocational training, college, international education, study abroad, continuing education, lifelong learning, jobs and human resources, as well as starting a business and self-employment.
Our university was represented with two booths. The first booth showcased humanities programs in a cozy meeting room that invited visitors to engage in detailed conversations in a relaxed atmosphere. The second booth, on the other hand, focused on interactivity through augmented reality glasses—a project by Daniel Winkler, a lecturer in higher education pedagogy, which every visitor could try out.
During the fair, I assisted my colleagues with setting up the booths and communicating with visitors. This experience was particularly valuable to me, as it was my first professional assignment in Germany. The scale of this fair surprised me, as such events are not commonly used as a means of communication and promotion in the education sector in my home country of Kazakhstan.
I was impressed and further motivated by the size of the exhibition and the high level of professionalism shown by my colleagues and other exhibitors. A highlight was meeting Michael Kretschmer, the Minister President of Saxony, in person; he visited our booth right at the start of the fair.
Overall, participating in the KarriereStart fair was not only a professional experience but also an opportunity to delve deeper into the German education landscape and gain valuable insights. This experience will certainly leave a lasting impression on my professional development.
Zhaniya Pirmoldayeva
Faculty of Business Administration and Engineering Management
Schliebenstraße 21, 02763 Zittau
E-mail: marketing@hszg.de