Schmalkalden: trade fair for jobs and education has been canceled

Schmalkalden – During the service consultation on Monday morning, Mayor Thomas Kaminski was hoping for positive news from the district office. Business promoter Christiane Handy asked there whether the 11th job and education fair, which has already been approved, could take place under the new conditions. According to the Thuringian Ordinance on Extraordinary Special Measures to Curb the Rapid Spread of the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 of October 31, trade fairs are possible without leisure activities. But not in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district, because it is considered a risk area with more than 50 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants.

Mayor Thomas Kaminski very much regrets the cancellation. A “bitter decision”, especially since the more than 50 exhibitors from industry, trade, craft and service, from educational institutions and public institutions held on to their commitment to the end – and had hoped that the fair would take place. Even in times of the coronavirus, the companies are desperately looking for trainees and skilled workers, the head of administration knows from discussions. “A trade fair like this is always a showcase for local businesses,” he says.

Give orientation

The rejection, says Kaminski, is primarily at the expense of the young people who are now orientating themselves professionally, who are looking for prospects. These are primarily the ninth and tenth graders, the target group of such a career and education fair. The city boss knows that the schools are doing their best as far as they can, but they cannot replace personal discussions with the companies. To make matters worse, there are currently no school internships allowed. The state education authority is said to have sent a corresponding instruction last week. Kaminski now wants to look for an alternative to the canceled trade fair together with the economic development agency. One possibility would be to move the job and study orientation completely online – a virtual, digital job fair, so to speak. In addition, the town hall is thinking about targeting a new trade fair date in spring 2021. sö

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