Nils: business@school links coaching and networking

What is special for you about your role as a coach at business@school? 

As a coach, I especially appreciate how much it expands your own network. At my school, we are six coaches in total. We each supervise one student team in pairs, but we also stay in continuous exchange with one another. This allows me to experience different approaches, objectives, and coaching styles up close. For me, that is truly enriching because I learn both professionally and personally from the other coaches. 

How have you been able to further develop your skills through coaching? 

When you observe different personalities working together in a group, you take on a more overarching role as a coach. This external perspective helps you reflect on your own actions: How would I behave in this situation? What can I take with me for my professional life? At the same time, I refresh my subject knowledge and engage with economic trends. This combination of professional learning and personal reflection makes coaching extremely valuable for me. 

What surprised you in working with the students? 

What impressed me most was the students’ level of commitment. You quickly notice how much interest and motivation they bring to the topics. The final presentations were incredibly confident: deeply informed, well‑structured, and delivered with great enthusiasm. These moments show how much potential the next generation has and how much joy they develop when they can work on practical, real‑world topics. 

What is your conclusion after two years of coaching at business@school? 

You grow into the role of a coach: many things come naturally, and other things you learn together with the group. The time commitment can be integrated well into everyday work, especially through digital formats. For me, the program is a combination of professional insights, generational exchange, and networking with coaches from different companies. Above all, it shows how much enthusiasm arises when students are given the opportunity to try things out. That makes every round worthwhile again. 

Evonik has been a partner of business@school, the educational initiative of Boston Consulting Group (BCG), for many years. The program gives students a hands-on introduction to the world of business and entrepreneurship over the course of a school year.