SHIFT NOW – Your Future Festival

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

SHIFT NOW is a new, cross-regional initiative designed to reach young people throughout Lower Saxony. It’s an innovative format in the form of a “future festival” that offers young people comprehensive career guidance. It helps them discover, plan, and actively shape their own futures.

Career guidance can and should be fun! Through festival and conference elements, we’re creating a new format that invites young people to participate, try things out, and linger.

WHAT ELSE DOES SHIFT NOW OFFER?

Preparations for the second festival will begin in October 2026 with a roadshow. This will give schools throughout Lower Saxony an introduction to the festival and topics such as sustainable apprenticeship careers and self-efficacy. On the day of the festival, various events—such as talks and workshops—will take place on topics including careers of the future, environmental protection and sustainability, self-efficacy and fears about the future, as well as democracy and diversity. There will also be plenty of activities and music—all the elements that make for a great festival. In addition to the hands-on career stations and workshops at the festival itself, the project provides preparatory and follow-up teaching materials for educators.

A digital follow-up event will take place after the festival.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Young people aged 16 to 21

Opportunities for interested training companies to participate

Companies have the opportunity to participate in the festival free of charge. Instead of a traditional trade show booth, SHIFT NOW focuses on career-related workshops, career trails, and hands-on activities led by apprentices for young people.

Project Organizer and Partners

Patron and Sponsor: Lower Saxony Ministry of Energy, Environment, and Climate Protection

Partners: Network for a Green Working World in Lower Saxony, City of Hanover

Organizer: TBD

Project Duration

• July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027 (2nd cycle)
• July 1, 2028 – December 31, 2029 (3rd cycle)

Learn More

The Hanover Region, through its Department of Economic and
Employment Promotion and provides partial funding for the project.