ERFURT _ The successful instrument of commuter and returner days is to be expanded across borders: This is one result of the 1st exchange meeting of the Central German skilled worker initiatives, which took place today, Monday, November 20, in Erfurt. The host of the conference was the Thuringian Agency For Skilled Worker Recruitment, other participants were the Center for Skilled Worker Retention and Good Work (ZEFAS) Saxony and the state initiative Skilled Worker in Focus (FiF) Saxony-Anhalt. With around 60 participants, the event met with a pleasing response.
"This is the first meeting of its kind in Central Germany – in addition to professional exchange and getting to know each other personally, the focus is also on joint activities," said LEG Managing Director Sabine Wosche at the opening of the conference. ThAFF is based at LEG. "Attracting commuters and returnees to the local labor market is a goal that unites us all, and we can further optimize the approach and advice for this important target group with combined efforts."
In addition to welcoming addresses by Sabine Wosche and the responsible department head of the Thuringian Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Women and Family, Prof. Michael Behr, the exchange meeting began with three video messages, namely from Carsten Schneider, Minister of State and the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Martin Dulig, Minister in the Saxon State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Transport and Deputy Minister President, and Heidi Werner, Managing Director of RKW Saxony-Anhalt GmbH, project sponsor of the FiF. In three “theme rooms”, participants then took the opportunity for professional exchange, the content of which concerned
- Commuters, those willing to return, and immigrants from other federal states (Moderation and impulse: ThAFF)
- International Skilled Workers and Welcome Center (Moderation and Impulse: ZEFAS)
- Employers and Employer Attractiveness (Moderation and Impulse: FiF)
Today's event was initiated by the ThAFF. When it started its work 17 years ago, it was only the second skilled workers initiative in Germany after an agency in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. When the ThAFF Welcome Center was founded ten years ago, the ThAFF successfully cooperated with colleagues from Hamburg and Dresden. Cross-border cooperation is valued by the ThAFF as well as by the other two Central German initiatives, so the first exchange meeting is expected to be continued in the foreseeable future.
Background:
The Thuringian Agency For Skilled Worker Recruitment (ThAFF) is based at the LEG Thüringen. On behalf of the Thuringian Ministry of Labor, it pursues the goal of helping Thuringian companies meet their ever-growing need for skilled workers. At the same time, it aims to support young people entering the workforce, commuters, and potential returnees in (re-)starting a professional career in Thuringia. To this end, the ThAFF markets Thuringia as a place of employment, advises its target groups, and informs them about job opportunities in the Free State (for example, as part of commuter days). Through its own company contact trade fairs, it brings together companies and (future) skilled workers. In addition, the ThAFF is active in various networks and supports labor market stakeholders at events. The ThAFF is funded by the Free State of Thuringia.
