Berufung? Deutschlands wichtigste Jobs

Documentary miniseries for SWR and the ARD media library • 9 episodes a 30 minutes

Berufung? tells the stories of people without whom "nothing works anymore". Whether teacher, firefighter, garbage collector or nurse - they are all important components of our society. We accompany people who start their new job full of energy or end it after many years with more or less melancholy.

Garbage collectors

Norina Lief loves her new job as a garbage collector. She likes driving the big garbage trucks and enjoys the varied tasks. For Oronzo di Casola, his job at the waste management company is coming to an end after more than 30 years. The job has become too strenuous in the long run, even though he enjoys it and has genuine friendships with many of his colleagues.

Mayor

A new phase of life begins for Janine Fischer as mayor. The mother of four still has to find her way in her new role, but she is very happy about her appointment. For Oliver Rastetter, on the other hand, his career as mayor is coming to an end after 15 years. He was once Germany's youngest mayor.

Fire department

Being repeatedly confronted with the most diverse challenges fulfills the young firefighter Justyna Krekel. The trained tax clerk decided on a new career path with the Stuttgart Fire Department and, even in her 2nd year of training, cannot imagine a better profession. Fire Chief Thomas Wenisch is also still passionate about his vocation, but due to his age he will leave the fire department after 18 years and retire.

Forester

For Judith Waldhans, her promotion to district forest manager marks the start of a new professional challenge. Many site visits to her forest and discussions with colleagues and forest owners are on the agenda. For Hans Werner Neitzert, probably the longest-serving forester in Rhineland-Palatinate, on the other hand, his career is coming to an end after 50 years. For him, it was always a vocation, also due to his family background, but now he is clearing the way for the next generation, for whom the issue of climate change is also becoming increasingly important.

Social workers

For the young youth welfare office employee Lara Sommer, Weinheim is the start of her first major professional adventure. With appropriate respect, she takes her first steps in a profession where her decisions can have far-reaching consequences. For creative educator Karl Kayser, on the other hand, the phase of his life in which he acted as a respected person and contact for the worries and needs of children and young people at the Mainz Youth Center and was able to show them perspectives is coming to an end.

Bakers and butchers

Mustafa Yilmaz loves working with meat and therefore decided to become a butcher. Now in his third year of apprenticeship, he continues to be very enthusiastic about his varied profession and can't imagine anything better. For Michael Schneider, a passionate baker, his strenuous working day comes to an end after 40 years - and with it the operation of his small family business due to problems with young talent.

Teachers

After a direct entry as a vocational school teacher, mechanical engineer Jonas Jäger is thrown straight into the deep end after a two-week crash course and stands in front of a class for the first time. After years in the private sector, there is no question about his professional competence, but now he has to prove whether he can also pass on his knowledge to trainees. For Roswitha Heid, on the other hand, her time as a teacher is coming to an end after 40 years. She will teach for the last time before sending her students on vacation and herself into retirement.