From the Nominator

"As a holistic school, GESS believes that lessons our students learn outside the classroom are equally important as those inside the classroom. With this in mind, we reached out to corporate entities, organizations, chambers, and embassies to support us in creating opportunities for our students’ limitless learning. 

Launched in 2021, BeyondClassrooms connects GESS students with organizations such as Siemens, BASF, BMW Group Asia, Danfoss, BluCurrent, Volocopter, T-Systems, TÜV SÜD, Evonik, Danfoss, and more. To date, we have almost 20 partners and are in talks with more. Also joining our network are local and international associates from academic and sports institutions, governments, business chambers, and embassies. 

We have not forgotten our social commitment to our community. One of the key aspects of BeyondClassrooms involves community work and relationship cultivation, including the support of social and community causes and participation in local events.

Through industry talks, internships, career counseling, mock interviews, site visits (such as chemical plants, laboratories, recycling companies, research centers, fish farms, and urban air mobility companies), and other avenues, our students get first-hand exposure and experience in various industries. Approximately 50 student engagements materialized in the past year. 

Internships in a variety of roles are mandatory for our senior students every year. With strong support from our partners and associates, the list of opportunities across a multitude of industries continues to grow. This year, we were able to offer 120 internship placements for our ninth-grade students."

From the Judges

The GESS X BeyondClassrooms program provides an excellent way to expose youth to a variety of careers and experiences during a time when they are thinking about moving forward in their studies, maximizing their time, and allowing them to focus on interest areas to build skills for successful careers. The fact that companies sign on without compensation is equally impressive.