Educational work / Educational management

Educational work or educational management refers to the diverse field of employment in extracurricular child, youth and adult education. Education managers are responsible for the organization, implementation and evaluation of education, i.e. teaching and learning processes. Employees in this occupational field are often referred to as education officers, but classic social professions such as educators or pedagogues can also be found.

In addition to planning, managing and implementing projects and educational events, frequent activities in educational work include networking and exchanging ideas with multipliers, designing and creating educational materials and learning platforms and, of course, the direct communication of content in seminars, training courses, workshops and other formats, such as art and cultural projects, excursions or simulation games. Depending on the focus of the institution, they may deal with very different subject areas, such as political education or environmental education.
The actual management, i.e. the management of educational institutions, does not fall under the term education management, but can certainly coincide with it, especially for smaller education providers. However, classic management tasks, such as documenting learning processes or applying for funding, are part of the range of tasks in most cases. Education officers must therefore have a whole range of experience and skills, which can range from the direct processing and teaching of learning content, to applying for funding, to developing questionnaires and evaluating data. Their responsibilities also include organizational tasks such as making arrangements with external trainers or finding and booking suitable learning spaces. The development of online-supported teaching also requires a certain level of technical and IT understanding (e.g. for the use of learning software or educational platforms), for which there are also separate training courses in e-teaching.

A wide range of job sites, topics and target groups

Employees in child, youth and adult education often work in associations, foundations and (extracurricular) educational institutions, but also in companies and other organizations. As the name suggests, adult educators work exclusively with adults. In contrast to the more open child and youth work, the focus here is more often on targeted qualification for very specific tasks, such as job-related further training or preparation for voluntary work. For example, political foundations and trade unions, as well as political parties, are among the traditional players in adult education. Depending on the employer, it depends on whether the continuing education is offered to a clearly defined target group (e.g. training for a company's own employees) or is aimed at the general public (e.g. in adult education centers) and whether it is paid or free of charge for learners. This often also determines the involvement and funding basis for the education management offices themselves.

To enter the field, it is advisable to look for internships or part-time student jobs in the field during your studies. The university itself also offers a wide range of opportunities (tutor jobs, in the ASta or the student councils as well as the educational activities of the numerous student initiatives and organizations).