Walter-Gropius- Berufskolleg is a public vocational college of further education which offers young people a wide range of educational courses, including vocational training in different trades, further education and training as assistants with dual qualifications and college and university entrance qualifications. Almost 1700 students are taught by 75 teachers in three different buildings, which are situated in the centre of Bochum, a town in the urban Ruhr area. The region was formally known for its coal and steel industries but today it boasts health, media, technological and educational services. Employers range from big industrial companies with their own advertising departments to small agencies and successful film and video companies to small photography studios.