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IDGS
Institute of
German Sign Language and
Communication of the Deaf

Photo: UHH, IDGS, Goldschmidt

Outlook Day 2025

"Studying sign languages – what next?"

The career day featured an introduction and general advice on career opportunities by

  • Christoph Fittschen, AStuB (Arbeitsstelle Studium und Beruf, Department SLM)
    • The AStuB offers advice on study planning, internships, career orientation, and self-presentation using one's own humanities skills.
    • It coordinates and designs courses on key humanities skills in the areas of
      • study and career orientation
      • internships
      • tutoring work/qualification (teaching practice certificate)
      • key skills
    • There is a specialist library with current titles on study planning with key skills, career orientation, internship preparation, job applications, and continuing education.
  • Dr. Barbara Sutter, Career Center of Universität Hamburg. The Career Center offers:
    • Support for students and graduates of the University of Hamburg in planning their career paths and acquiring interdisciplinary professional skills
    • Advice on career goals, assistance with job searches,
    • continuing education opportunities, and networking to facilitate the transition from university to the working world.

Then there were presentations by former sign language students about their studies and further career paths, followed by a question and answer session. The career prospects/life paths presented there in 2024 and 2025 included:

  • Master's program, also possible in a relevant/related field, e.g. Multilingualism and Education - MOTION at the University of Hamburg
  • Bachelor's degree, then a 20-year break, followed by a master's degree
  • Project work at IDGS
  • Work at GGKG e.V.
  • Doctorate at a German or foreign university in the fields of sign languages, deaf studies, multilingualism, rehabilitation sciences, cognitive linguistics, neuroscience.
  • Work in politics, in the field of inclusion policy
  • in the field of social affairs, outpatient assistance for the deaf and hard of hearing, e.g. at the Theodor-Wenzel-Haus
  • in the field of early intervention, also for children without sign language, but e.g. with delayed language development or a different first language, at Erziehungshilfe Hamburg e.V.
  • Work on sign language projects, e.g., Sign2Mint, Sign4All, Delegs (learning German with sign language)
  • Bimodal speech therapy, establishment of a speech therapy network with sign language

In response to the questions, "What did you find helpful/valuable during your studies or afterwards for your future life/career path?" and "What can you recommend to current students as a minor subject, elective course, internship, or similar in order to enter your field professionally?", the following suggestions were made, among others:

  • Study what interests you; there is always a way to turn your interests into a career.
  • Use your time at university to build your profile and make contacts, e.g. through internships, participating in events, working on projects/in clubs, and networking meetings.
  • Be aware of the valuable skills you have learned through your studies, so that you can confidently bring them to bear.

Further program items: