Regional commitment in the Coburg area

During the tour of the company building, the young visitors were particularly interested in the automated incoming and outgoing mail pre-sorted with the help of artificial intelligence, the internal distribution of documents in the digital workflow, and the handling of new forms of work such as the working from home. Considerable enthusiasm was also shown for the garden created by the employees on the company premises and the large swing for new ideas.

Following the tour, Managing Director Frank Fenske and Christof George, responsible for Finance, Digitalisation & IT, introduced the students to the cultural change that has been initiated at the company, reported on the efforts to establish the company as a top employer in the region and opportunities that the BID Group can offer young talent on its impressive growth trajectory. They also presented plans for a BID Academy and answered numerous questions from visitors.

Strengthening the region
The event marks the start of long-term cooperation with Coburg University of Applied Sciences, where almost 5,000 students are currently enrolled on Bachelor's or Master's degree courses. “We want to make it easier for graduates to start their careers and offer local career prospects in order to strengthen the region in this way,” says Frank Fenske, explaining the motivation behind the BID Group's involvement, which includes participating in a mentoring programme at the university.

As part of this programme, the company will offer students the opportunity to write their theses in the company, to gain practical experience as interns or working students, in addition to bringing academic know-how into the company, among other activities. The first of such activities in this area have already been successfully launched: An intern is supporting the BID Group in setting up a company health management system. A project that will be continued by other students.

Sharing research findings and practical knowledge
In addition to the students, professors and instructors were also guests at the BID Group. The academics were delighted that the BID Group had successfully completed the certification process for the German Sustainability Code (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitskodex – DNK). There are concrete plans to implement joint projects in the area of sustainability. A first example of this is the Coburg Sustainability Days, which the BID Group organises with Coburg University of Applied Sciences as a platform for the regional transfer of knowledge on sustainability issues.

“Together, we want to have a broader impact and be real multipliers for currently relevant topics and solutions,” says Frank Fenske. The BID Group’s cooperation with Coburg University of Applied Sciences could improve the transfer of knowledge between academic research and business applications, and as Frank Fenske explains, with a mutual benefit: “One example is the topic of artificial intelligence, one of the university's research areas. Joint research projects within the BID Group offer scientists and students the opportunity to develop practical AI solutions to which we can contribute our expertise and also benefit from the knowledge gained.”

Employer of the future
The university sees their cooperation with the BID Group as an important contribution to strengthening and expanding the regional network. Verena Blume, Head of the Transfer & Entrepreneurship Department at Coburg University of Applied Sciences, says that the students and academics were particularly impressed by the openness and authentic insights into the company: “This type of exchange with students gives young people unique insights into practices which they can combine with the theory taught during their studies.”

Ultimately, this form of cooperation promotes thinking outside the box and provides new impetus for both parties. The students are shown exciting career prospects, while the BID Group builds on its reputation as a responsible top employer in the region. The BID Group has been able to call itself an ‘employer of the future’ since 2023, and The German Innovation Institute for Sustainability and Digitalisation has accordingly recognised the company's modern and flexible working environment. The company's commitment to the region goes even further – including, among other activities, sponsoring the Coburg handball and basketball clubs and supporting the local youth fire brigade.