Digital buyer journeys
What digital buyer journeys means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Event overview
Overview
The Berufsinfomesse (BIM) is a premier education fair taking place on April 9-10, 2027, at Messe Offenburg in Offenburg, Germany. This event will feature 400 exhibitors presenting nearly 2,700 opportunities related to education, training, and career development.
Attendees can engage directly with regional and national exhibitors to explore various educational paths, including vocational training and university programs. Berufsinfomesse takes place in Offenburg, Germany.
TL;DR
- 1Event: Berufsinfomesse Offenburg (BIM) is the Ortenau region's careers, vocational training and study orientation fair, organised by Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH.
- 2Dates: an April edition - hotel captures for the show window reference April 2027; confirm the exact days on berufsinfomesse.de before booking travel.
- 3Venue: Messe Offenburg-Ortenau, Messeplatz, Offenburg, in the upper Rhine valley between Karlsruhe and Freiburg.
- 4Entry: admission is free, but a ticket ordered online through berufsinfomesse.de is mandatory for entry.
- 5Who attends: pupils in Berufsorientierung, school leavers, parents, teachers and adults weighing retraining or a career change, mostly from the Ortenau district and neighbouring Baden-Wurttemberg areas.
Why visit
Visitors will benefit from direct interactions with potential employers and educational institutions, gaining insights into various career paths and training options. Dates and Venue: Berufsinfomesse takes place on April 9-10, 2027 at Messe Offenburg in Offenburg, Germany. Buyer Authority: Attendees include students, job seekers, and professionals looking for educational opportunities.
Why exhibit
Exhibitors will have the chance to showcase their educational offerings to a targeted audience of students and job seekers. Scale and Focus: The event features 400 exhibitors and nearly 2,700 opportunities for education and training. Buyer Authority: Attendees include students, job seekers, and professionals looking for educational opportunities.
Attendees, exhibitors & solutions
Who this event is for
Visitor profile
Typical attendee groups you can expect to meet.
High school students exploring career options
University students seeking further education opportunities
Job seekers looking for training and employment
Parents seeking educational resources for their children
Professionals interested in career development
Teachers and educators looking for partnerships
Exhibitor profile
Main supplier and exhibitor segments present at the show.
Educational institutions offering degree programs
Vocational training providers
Companies offering internships and apprenticeships
Consultants providing career advice
Non-profit organizations focused on education
Government agencies promoting educational initiatives
Product categories
Key solution areas showcased across the event.
Ausbildung (dual apprenticeship) places with regional employers in skilled trades, industry, retail, logistics and health care
Dual study programmes and Bachelor or Master degrees from universities and universities of applied sciences
Vocational schools, technical colleges and preparatory courses such as Berufsfachschule and Berufskolleg
Internships, taster days and voluntary service placements including FSJ and Bundesfreiwilligendienst
Career counselling, application document checks and interest or aptitude testing
Continuing education, Umschulung retraining and upskilling for adults already in work
Public-sector and civil-service career tracks, including municipal and uniformed services where represented
Online learning, distance-learning and blended study platforms for school leavers and adult learners
Location & Facilities
Venue
Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
Schutterwälder Straße 3, D-77656 Offenburg
Facilities
Parking
Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH in Offenburg typically provides on-site or adjacent visitor parking during major trade fairs; confirm daily rates, payment methods and hall access on the organiser or venue website before travel.
Food options
On-site catering
On-site diningParking: Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH in Offenburg typically provides on-site or adjacent visitor parking during major trade fairs; confirm daily rates, payment methods and hall access on the organiser or venue website before travel.
Gate: Follow organiser signage to the main visitor entrance at Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH for badge collection; allow extra time for security screening during peak morning arrival.
Attend
Entry & tickets
Free registration
Who runs the show
Organisers
Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
How the last edition performed
Previous edition
Last edition
—
Completed
Exhibitors: 400
Next edition
Not announced yet
Intelligence
Market context
Key market insights, trends, news and related events to help you understand the bigger picture.
Offenburg, Germany
Why it matters
Attending Berufsinfomesse on 2027-04-09 to 2027-04-10 in Offenburg lets buyers and specifiers benchmark suppliers, see live demonstrations, and compress months of vendor meetings into one focused trade visit — worthwhile when your category roadmap aligns with the official exhibitor profile.
Industry trends
Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.
Sustainability in procurement
What sustainability in procurement means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Automation and labour efficiency
What automation and labour efficiency means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Regional supply-chain resilience
What regional supply-chain resilience means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Hybrid engagement models
What hybrid engagement models means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Market news
Latest updates from across the market.
Higher Education News Germany | Get with the Times
ReadCareer Opportunities and Jobs in Education in Germany
ReadGermany's New Education & Job Market Reality: What Smart Students Are ...
ReadEducation Industry in Germany: Insights and Opportunities
ReadHigher Ed Hiring 2026 Germany Issues | AcademicJobs
ReadEducation news and articles in Germany | IamExpat
ReadPlan your trip
Travel & logistics
Local currency · EUR
Arrival airports
Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.
Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport
Closest commercial airport to Offenburg, but with a limited route network; most international visitors connect through a larger hub. Confirm transfers and rental car hours before booking
TBA
to venue
roughly 50-70 minutes by road
by car
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg
Binational airport serving the upper Rhine; a practical option for arrivals from Switzerland and France, with rail connections onward via Basel or Freiburg
TBA
to venue
roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes by road
by car
Stuttgart Airport
Broad European network; the rail leg continues via Karlsruhe towards Offenburg, and driving uses the A5/A8 corridors
TBA
to venue
roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes by road
by car
Frankfurt Airport
Long-haul gateway with the most connections; direct intercity trains run down the Rhine valley to Offenburg, so rail is often faster than driving at peak times
TBA
to venue
roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours by road
by car
Zurich Airport
Useful for Swiss and non-European arrivals with a Zurich-based itinerary; the usual route is rail via Basel, and border checks apply when driving
TBA
to venue
roughly 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes by road
by car
Hotel tiers
A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.
Mercure Hotel Offenburg am Messeplatz
midscale
Messeplatz, OffenburgEco-certified property at the fairground square with free Wi-Fi, indoor pool, fitness center, spa and bar; breakfast and parking are chargeable. Google Travel capture lists it for the April 2027 show dates.
B&B HOTEL Offenburg-City
budget
Offenburg city centrePet-friendly, parking available; highest guest rating (4.3) among the budget listings captured for the show dates.
Offenburg City Hotel by Belvilla
budget
Offenburg city centrePet-friendly with parking; lowest captured nightly rate of the centre listings for the edition dates.
Renchtalblick Hotel-Restaurant
midscale
Offenburg outskirtsHotel with its own restaurant, free parking and pet-friendly rooms; 4.5 guest rating in the Google Travel capture.
Holiday Inn Express Offenburg by IHG
midscale
OffenburgThree-star IHG branded hotel listed among Messe Offenburg-Ortenau area stays on Google Travel; free parking and pet-friendly.
Local transport
Get around the city with these convenient transport options.
Bus
Estimated costEUR 35-85 taxi or rideshare to the venue district
Best forOffenburg city to Messe Offenburg
Rome2rio lists a bus option from Offenburg to Messe Offenburg from about EUR 3.
Train / S-Bahn
Estimated costEUR 35-85 taxi or rideshare to the venue district
Best forOffenburg station to the fairground district
Offenburg is on the main Rhine valley rail line; check Deutsche Bahn or the local transport association for the current short-trip fare.
Taxi
Estimated costApprox. EUR 10-15 short city ride (confirm with the local taxi operator)
Best forOffenburg station or city centre to Messe Offenburg
Short urban trip; keep the meter on and confirm the approximate fare before departure.
taxi
Estimated costEUR 35-85 taxi or rideshare to the venue district
Best forFrankfurt Airport (FRA) to Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours by road; Long-haul gateway with the most connections; direct intercity trains run down the Rhine valley to Offenburg, so rail is often faster than driving at peak times.
taxi
Estimated costEUR 35-85 taxi or rideshare to the venue district
Best forEuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL) to Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes by road; Binational airport serving the upper Rhine; a practical option for arrivals from Switzerland and France, with rail connections onward via Basel or Freiburg.
taxi
Estimated costEUR 35-85 taxi or rideshare to the venue district
Best forStuttgart Airport (STR) to Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes by road; Broad European network; the rail leg continues via Karlsruhe towards Offenburg, and driving uses the A5/A8 corridors.
taxi
Estimated costEUR 35-85 taxi or rideshare to the venue district
Best forZurich Airport (ZRH) to Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
roughly 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes by road; Useful for Swiss and non-European arrivals with a Zurich-based itinerary; the usual route is rail via Basel, and border checks apply when driving.
taxi
Estimated costEUR 35-85 taxi or rideshare to the venue district
Best forKarlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (FKB) to Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
roughly 50-70 minutes by road; Closest commercial airport to Offenburg, but with a limited route network; most international visitors connect through a larger hub. Confirm transfers and rental car hours before booking.
Plan your trip
Visa & entry documents
Check the latest visa requirements and entry guidelines before travelling.
Visa not required
ATA Carnet: check with organiser
Weather
April in Offenburg, in the upper Rhine valley, is a spring month: expect changeable days with mild daytime temperatures and a real chance of rain showers, so an umbrella or light rain layer is sensible for the walk between halls and parking. Evening temperatures drop noticeably - check the forecast for the show week before travelling.
Plan for the climate
Check temperatures and pack accordingly
Venue connectivity
Germany uses EU mobile roaming, so EU/EEA SIMs work on arrival; visitors from outside the EU should arrange a local German SIM or eSIM for data. Messe Offenburg-Ortenau lists visitor and travel information on messe-offenburg.de, including how to reach the grounds.
Ride-hailing
Taxis
Public transit
Car rentals
Cultural notes
Useful information to help you have a smooth and respectful visit.
Fairground district
The venue sits at Messeplatz in Offenburg, in Baden-Wurttemberg on the upper Rhine; the city's main rail station is the natural arrival point for visitors coming by train.
Language
The Berufsinfomesse organiser publishes visitor pages in German, with French and English versions of some sections (visitors, directions), so check the language toggle before relying on a page.
Registration
The 2026 edition was advertised as free entry (Eintritt frei); confirm the current edition's entry and registration terms on berufsinfomesse.de before travelling.
Practical guides
Visitor & Exhibitor Essentials
Everything needed to arrive prepared, navigate the event, and make the visit productive.
Flights
Destination: FKB
Compare flights to the nearest international gateway serving Offenburg; confirm ground transport on the organiser site.
Visa
Germany is in the Schengen area. Passport holders from the US, UK, Canada, and most EU/EEA states travel visa-free for short business visits; many other nationalities need a Schengen short-stay visa arranged before departure.
Estimated cost: EUR 90 adult Schengen short-stay visa fee (verify the current fee with your German mission).
Processing: Allow several weeks: Schengen short-stay decisions are normally issued within about 15 calendar days of a complete application, with longer waits at busy missions.
Bring a fair invitation or registration confirmation and hotel booking to the appointment. Visa-free travellers still need a passport valid for the trip and should watch for the EU Entry/Exit System and ETIAS rollout.
OfficialTransport
Get to the venue and around the city with these options.
Airport → venue: Primary gateways: Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (FKB): roughly 50-70 minutes by road; EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL): roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes by road; Stuttgart Airport (STR): roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes by road; Frankfurt Airport (FRA): roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours by road. Allow road or rail time to Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH; on-site parking is usually available at major exhibition venues.
Hotel → venue: Precinct hotels near Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH: Messeplatz, Offenburg: Mercure Hotel Offenburg am Messeplatz; Offenburg city centre: B&B HOTEL Offenburg-City; Offenburg city centre: Offenburg City Hotel by Belvilla.
Ride-hail: Ride-hailing apps are commonly used in Offenburg; confirm local availability before travel.
Public transit: Messe Offenburg-Ortenau publishes arrival guidance on messe-offenburg.de (Anfahrt / Travel pages); the venue sits in Offenburg, reached by regional rail on the Rhine valley line with local bus or taxi for the final leg. Confirm current timetables and short-hop fares with Deutsche Bahn or the local transport association before the show.
Parking: On-site parking is available at Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH; confirm daily rates and hall access on the organiser or venue site.
Weather
Plan and pack for the event climate.
Month: April 2027
Temperature: Mild spring range, roughly 6-17 C across April days; check the show-week forecast for the exact edition dates
Seasonality: April is a showery spring month in the Offenburg / upper Rhine area; rainfall is spread across the month rather than concentrated in one season.
Packing: Light layers plus a packable rain jacket or umbrella; comfortable shoes for walking between halls and the Messeplatz hotel strip, and a warm layer for cool evenings.
Plan your trip
Planning
Best day to visit: Day 2 (mid-show)
Mid-show days at Berufsinfomesse usually combine full exhibitor attendance with scheduled B2B meetings, before early pack-down on the final day.
T-1
14 days out - order the free online ticket at berufsinfomesse.de and save the confirmation to your phone or print it for the gate check.
T-2
13 days out - shortlist the employers, vocational schools and study programmes you actually want to see, then note their hall and stand numbers once the exhibitor directory is live.
T-3
12 days out - update your CV to the German tabular format and print ten to fifteen copies plus a few reference sheets for stand conversations.
T-4
10 days out - book rail travel to Offenburg early: the town sits on the Rhine valley main line, and saver fares on Deutsche Bahn are cheaper weeks in advance.
T-5
8 days out - check the programme for stage talks on application writing, dual study or retraining, and block out the times you want to attend.
T-6
6 days out - plan the route inside the halls so you cover priority stands first; allow 20-30 minutes per stand and a break between blocks.
T-7
4 days out - confirm the venue address (Messe Offenburg-Ortenau, Messeplatz, Offenburg) in your navigation app and check whether on-site parking or the bus from Offenburg station suits you better.
T-8
3 days out - if you travel from abroad, re-check Schengen entry documents, the hotel booking and the airport-to-Offenburg leg (FKB, BSL, STR or FRA).
T-9
2 days out - look at the April forecast for the upper Rhine valley and pack a light rain layer for the walk between parking, station and halls.
T-10
1 day out - charge your phone, store the ticket QR code offline, pack CV copies, a notebook and water, and aim to arrive at opening before the school-class groups build up.
Sample visitor itinerary
Route-optimised day
Day 1 · morning
Registration and hall orientation at Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
Day 2 · core sessions
Supplier meetings and product demos
Day 3 · wrap-up
Final negotiations and follow-up
Networking spots
2Berufsinfomesse registration concourse
Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
Central meeting point before and between hall appointments during show days.
Organiser B2B lounge (if offered)
Messe Offenburg-Ortenau GmbH
Hosted matchmaking and buyer programmes when published by the organiser.
Budget
Costs & budget
Build your working budget
Adjust the inputs below to create a directional event budget.
Estimated budget
Live estimate
- Hotel × 2 nights€190.00
- Per diem × 2€150.00
Estimated total€340.00
This is a directional estimate. Please verify live rates before booking.
Decision
Visit, exhibit, or skip?
Should you go?
Use this quick check to decide whether Berufsinfomesse fits your visit, exhibit or skip plan.
QUESTION 1 OF 6
What is your primary role?
Decision matrix
Compare participation options side by side to choose the best fit for your objectives.
visit
Your category focus aligns with the official product themes.
Best for
Buyers, researchers, and delegates evaluating the programme and networking value.
Min. budget
$400.00
Timeline
4-8 weeks before opening day for registration and travel.
Risks
Limited session times published - confirm agenda before booking.
exhibit
You have a clear lead-generation or launch goal for this market.
Best for
Suppliers and brands seeking qualified meetings with the event audience.
Min. budget
$2,500.00
Timeline
3-6 months for stand booking, freight, and marketing prep.
Risks
Booth pricing not published in captured sources - confirm with organiser.
skip
Programme, audience, or commercial goals do not match your plan.
Best for
Teams whose category or region fit is weak this edition.
Timeline
N/A
Risks
No major risks listed.
FAQs & glossary
Answers
Frequently asked
Is admission to Berufsinfomesse Offenburg free?
Yes. Entry is free, but the organiser requires a ticket ordered online in advance through berufsinfomesse.de. Save the confirmation to your phone or print it, because the ticket is checked at the entrance.
Do I have to register before the fair or can I simply turn up?
Register online first. The free ticket is issued through the organiser's online registration, so arriving without one risks delays at the gate; the registration page on berufsinfomesse.de is the place to start.
Who is Berufsinfomesse Offenburg aimed at?
Pupils in the Berufsorientierung phase, school leavers looking for an apprenticeship or study place, parents and teachers accompanying them, and adults considering retraining or a career change in the Ortenau region.
Is this a trade-only fair or open to the public?
It is a public career orientation fair, not a closed B2B trade show: pupils, families and adults attend with the free online ticket, and school classes usually visit in organised groups during the day.
Which kinds of exhibitors are at the fair?
Regional employers offering Ausbildung places, vocational and technical schools, universities and universities of applied sciences, the IHK and Handwerkskammer, public-sector employers, and continuing education or online learning providers. Check the current exhibitor directory on berufsinfomesse.de for the exact stand list before travelling.
Can I have my application documents checked at the fair?
Career counselling and application advice stands are part of the mix, and many employers review a Bewerbungsmappe on the spot. Confirm on the exhibitor list which counselling stands attend the current edition, and bring several printed CV copies.
How do I get to Messe Offenburg-Ortenau?
The fairground sits on Messeplatz in Offenburg, on the Rhine valley rail corridor between Karlsruhe and Freiburg, so regional trains reach Offenburg station with a short bus or taxi ride for the final leg. Parking is available at the venue; the closest commercial airports are Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden (FKB), Basel-Mulhouse (BSL), Stuttgart (STR) and Frankfurt (FRA).
What language is the fair conducted in?
German is the working language of the talks, stand pitches and application advice, as it matches the German Ausbildung and study system. International study programmes and some employers may offer English-language material, so ask at the stand if you need it.
Can school classes attend, and do teachers need to register?
Yes, school classes are a core audience. Teachers should register the group through the organiser's online route and plan enough time between halls, since pupils typically work through several stands plus one stage talk.
When is the next Berufsinfomesse Offenburg?
The captured show-window hotel listings reference an April 2027 edition, but the exact days should be checked on berufsinfomesse.de before booking rail or air tickets and accommodation.
Glossary
- Berufsinfomesse (BIM)
- A regional career orientation fair where employers, vocational schools, universities and counselling services present training and study routes to pupils, parents and adult career changers.
- Ausbildung
- Germany's dual vocational training route: a paid company training contract combined with part-time classes at a Berufsschule, usually running two to three and a half years and ending in a nationally recognised qualification.
- Duales Studium
- A combined degree that pairs a university of applied sciences or cooperative university with a company placement and a training contract, alternating academic terms with paid work phases.
- Berufsschule
- The state vocational school that delivers the classroom part of dual training, covering trade theory, economics and general subjects alongside the employer's on-the-job training.
- IHK and Handwerkskammer
- The chambers of commerce (IHK) and skilled crafts (Handwerkskammer) that register training contracts, advise companies on apprenticeships and run the final journeyman and chamber examinations.
- Berufsorientierung
- The structured career-orientation phase in German secondary schools, during which pupils complete work placements and visit fairs such as Berufsinfomesse Offenburg to test career choices.
- Bewerbungsmappe
- The German application portfolio - cover letter, tabular CV and reference copies - that employers at the fair expect pupils to bring for on-the-spot checks.
- Praktikum
- A short internship used to test a career field, frequently mandatory before or during study and often the first step towards an apprenticeship contract.
- Abitur and Fachhochschulreife
- School-leaving certificates; the Abitur opens university entry, while the Fachhochschulreife qualifies for universities of applied sciences and dual study programmes.
- Umschulung and Weiterbildung
- State-recognised retraining for adults moving into a new occupation (Umschulung) and continuing education for people already in work (Weiterbildung), both represented at careers fairs by providers and chambers.
- Azubi
- Short form for Auszubildender, a trainee or apprentice in the dual system; many stands are staffed by current Azubis who describe day-to-day training to visitors.
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Also known as
Alternate names and search phrases for this event.
- Berufsinfomesse
- Berufsinfomesse 2027
- Berufsinfomesse Offenburg
- Berufsinfomesse Offenburg 2027
- Offenburg Germany
- Education Fair Offenburg 2027
- Vocational training programs
Digital business cards for the show floor
Display a free company card at your booth, or share your professional card on the show floor.