“Hello, I am Aishviny 14 -years old and I am part of the management team at martinum.media.” That’s how the interview started with the student company. As the only student-run media company having a 14-year-old as an interview partner was definitely unusual. However, Aishviny seemed competent and had a confident and friendly demeanour and she was not alone. Her teacher and founder of martinum.media Daniel Peitz also took part in the interview.
A student-run company
It was clear from the beginning that this project was more than an extracurricular activity for the students. The passion and interest the students bring to this company and the responsibility that comes with it is one of a kind. The three students that make up the management team not only have keys for their operating room but also for the school gates. A testament to the trust the school administration has in their students and the project but also the great maturity the students portray by responsibly caring for that trust. Since it was founded in 2017 martinum.media at Gymnasium Martinum in Emsdetten (Germany) has been a real success. The dedicated students are involved in media production but can also develop skills like accounting and customer communication. The company has already successfully realised numerous projects, including videos, podcasts and the design of the school magazine.Finding topics and challenges
The student company works mainly on orders from customers in the area or events that are happening at the school. Daniel Peitz also adds that he feels like the students have become less political over the recent years and while working on outside projects is great to get real-life experience it might be good for the students to step more into their own voice. The biggest challenges however are time management, balancing school work and free time and dealing with difficult customers.Goals and media expertise
Martinum.media’s goals are ambitious: to gain more customers, attract new employees and motivate more students to join in. The students should not only improve their media skills but also learn how to deal professionally with customers and successfully realise projects. “It starts with writing an email”, Peitz emphasises, for many of the students communication outside of the school context is completely new to them, let alone business communication.Advice to young people
Martinum.media has clear advice for young people who are interested in the media industry: try out different areas, find your interests and work on real projects. The focus should always be on having fun at work and exploring new topics. Find out more about the organisation on their website.
