Analytical work in component 3. Demographic data collection for the South Baltic Sea region - National and regional macro data

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1 COHAB Co-ordination and Integration of Higher Education and the Labour Market around the Baltic Sea Analytical work in component 3 Demographic data collection for the South Baltic Sea region - National and regional macro data - FINAL REPORT - (Position paper) Job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region by Martin French June 2012 University of Rostock Faculty for Economic and Social Sciences Chair of Business, Economics and Entrepreneurship Education Prof. Dr. Andreas Diettrich Ulmenstraße 69, Rostock, Germany Telephone: Fax:

2 Table of contents Abstract short summary 3 Page Steps that were done used material and statistics 3 1 Mobility - The South Baltic Sea region by numbers and facts 5 Demographic structure and change 5 Mobility and migration 10 Structure of labour market 15 Education and educational standards 20 Strengths and weaknesses of the South Baltic Sea region 24 2 Challenges for teacher profession in the South Baltic Sea region 28 Teaching as a social task 28 Professional teaching 30 Labour market differences and perspectives 32 Existing mobility and mobility barriers 34 3 Challenges for nurse profession in the South Baltic Sea region 35 Nursing as a social task 35 Professional nursing 36 Labour market differences and perspectives 37 Existing mobility and mobility barriers 40 4 Chances and opportunities for the South Baltic Sea Region 42 5 Suggestions for developing mobility 47 Bibliography 53 Page 2

3 Abstract short summary In times of a globalised world, urbanisation challenges and individualisation trends, a high mobility of working people is the key for a successful and sustainable job career. This report, which summarises the analytical work of component 3 of the project COHAB Co-ordination and Integration of Higher Education and the Labour Market around the South Baltic Sea, shows, that this is also a main fact in the South Baltic Sea region. In order to get a current view on the complex phenomenon of mobility in the South Baltic Sea Region this report, which can also be seen as a position paper, identifies influencing factors, challenges and barriers of mobility in this area. Important framework requirements for the development of mobility of people in the South Baltic Sea Region, which are analysed in this paper, are for example demographical aspects, educational standards and levels, labour market conditions and trends, existing mobility and mobility barriers or vocational training and retraining procedures. Because of the background of the project COHAB this report focuses in its analyses on the one hand the national and regional aspects, which means mobility developments in the South Baltic Sea project regions of Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. On the other hand this paper also highlights some specific aspects of mobility in regard to the two professions of nurses and teachers, which are the profession target groups in the project COHAB. Steps that were done used material and statistics To get an extensive scientific overview about the current developments of job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region, which can, in a second step, also be used for practical recommendations and implementations, the analytical work, whose results are finally summarised in this report, was divided into three main parts of activities: 1 1 Because of the fact of an identified lack in regard to some regional macro data, for instance in some NUTS-levels, especially the analyse of the findings for the mobility framework requirements of the two professions of teachers and nurses in the South Baltic Sea region have been quite difficult in some parts. For further and ongoing regional and also profession data analyses the current survey activities and following survey results of the project COHAB will give more information. Page 3

4 First, an extensive collection of demographic data and statistics for the South Baltic Sea region in regard to national and regional macro databases was realised. Sources for the relevant data have especially been the databases of Eurostat, further data reports of the European Commission (EUROBAROMETER etc.) and the regional labour offices of the involved project areas in the South Baltic Sea region. In this first step extensive graphical and scale analyses focused different NUTS-levels of the involved project areas in the South Baltic Sea region as well as the two professions of nurses and teachers, which are the profession target groups in the project COHAB. Second, a high number of scientific and also practical-oriented literature was collected and systematically structured. The main target subjects for this search of literature have been: Size, population and distribution by age; life expectancy; educational level; need for caring of the elderly; education offered and level; bottle necks in labour market; labour market situation in respect of health and social education; retraining required; existing mobility ; identifying barriers for mobility (workforce). While searching and analysing important literature in regard to the question of mobility developments in the South Baltic Sea region the focus has essentially been on the project regions and also the project professions of the project COHAB. Finally the large search of literature created a compilation which especially includes a lot of scientific research reports, political statement and development reports, practical recommendation papers and handbooks and also reports from benchmark projects and approaches in regard to identify influencing factors, challenges and barriers of mobility in the South Baltic Sea region. Third and last, but not least, the analysed and structured national and regional macro data and the collected and also analysed compilation of literature have been the basic for this final report. So this report summarises selected main findings of the data analyses and the literature collection and points out what are the current framework requirements and the development trends in job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region. In the beginning, the report highlights the general situation of the South Baltic Sea region in regard to influencing factors of mobility and then also points out what are specific findings in regard to the mobility of the professions of teachers and nurses. The report ends with some reflections of chances and opportunities for the mobility in the South Baltic Sea region and finally gives suggestions to improve its development. Page 4

5 1 Mobility - The South Baltic Sea region by numbers and facts Demographic structure and change In regard to the COHAB project regions, by NUTS level 2, the highest values concerning the total fertility rate have Sjælland (2,0 live births per woman) and Småland med öarna (1,9). The values for the regions of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (1,4), Lietuva (1,4) and Pomorskie (1,5) are nearly the same as the EU-27 average (1,6). That means that in the regions of Denmark and Sweden more children are born than in the other regions. Figure: Total fertility rate, by NUTS 2 regions, average (live births per woman) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook If you compare the number of people aged 65 years and older with the number of people between the ages from 15 to 64 years, you can see that Mecklenburg- Vorpommern (32,2 %) and Småland med öarna (30,7 %) have the highest values, which means that the number of older people in these regions is quite high. While the old-age dependency ratio in the NUTS 2 regions in Denmark (26,4 %) and Lithuania (23,2 %) is nearly as high as the EU-27 average (25,6 %), the region of Pomorskie has a quite young population (17,2 %). Page 5

6 Figure: Old-age dependency ratio, by NUTS 2 regions, 2009 (%) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook If we look on the population density of the COHAB project regions, by NUTS level 3, we can see that there is gap between the eastern part, with a very high value, and the western/ southern part of Sjælland, with a value which is quite as high as the EU- 27 average. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern the values for the urban centres are very high, while the population density in the rural areas are very small. The NUTS 3 regions of Lithuania point out the same phenomenon as in Mecklenburg- Vorpommern but with the fact that no value is higher than the EU-27 average. The region of Pomorskie has nearly the same value as the EU-27 average but for sure there are also some areas here where population density can supposed as much lower or higher. The values for the population density of the NUTS 3 areas of Småland med öarna are in general comparison with the other regions the lowest. For example in Gotlands län we only have a value of 18,1 inhabitants per km², which is really a very small number of people per square kilometre. So the interim conclusion in this case could be, that the regions or areas in the South Baltic Sea region, concerning NUTS level 3, which are characterised by very rural framework requirements, have values, which are very low in regard to the EU-27 Page 6

7 average. The values for the bigger city areas and their urban peripheries have really high values in their population density, especially in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Table: Population density, by NUTS 3 regions, 2008 (inhabitants per km²) NUTS Region name Value EU DK021 Østsjælland 288,6 DK022 Vest- og Sydsjælland 90,8 DE801 Greifswald, Kreisfreie Stadt 1069,1 DE802 Neubrandenburg, Kf. Stadt 774,2 DE803 Rostock, Kreisfreie Stadt 1106,8 DE804 Schwerin, Kreisfreie Stadt 733,2 DE805 Stralsund, Kreisfreie Stadt 1486,6 DE806 Wismar, Kreisfreie Stadt 1077,9 DE807 Bad Doberan 86,9 DE808 Demmin 43,0 DE809 Güstrow 49,5 DE80A Ludwigslust 49,8 DE80B Mecklenburg-Strelitz 38,4 DE80C Müritz 38,6 DE80D Nordvorpommern 50,1 DE80E Nordwestmecklenburg 57,0 DE80F Ostvorpommern 56,3 DE80G Parchim 44,4 DE80H Rügen 71,0 DE80I Uecker-Randow 46,0 LT001 Alytaus apskritis 34,0 LT002 Kauno apskritis 85,9 LT003 Klaipedos apskritis 80,9 LT004 Marijampoles apskritis 41,3 LT005 Panevezio apskritis 36,8 LT006 Siauliu apskritis 41,8 LT007 Taurages apskritis 29,5 LT008 Telsiu apskritis) 41,0 LT009 Utenos apskritis 25,7 LT00A Vilniaus apskritis 90,1 PL63 Pomorskie 121,1 SE211 Jönköpings län 31,9 SE212 Kronobergs län 21,4 SE213 Kalmar län 20,8 SE214 Gotlands län 18,1 Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook If we focus the population change, which means the difference between the population size on 1 January of the following year and 1 January of the given reference year 2, we can see, that the values for the NUTS 3 regions of Denmark, Sweden and Poland are quite moderate. Only the region of Gdanski with a value of 15,0 highlights a very above-averaged positive population change. In the NUTS Page 7

8 regions of Germany and Lithuania nearly every value is below the EU-27 average. And also in nearly every NUTS 3 region of these two areas we have negative values, while many of them are even double-digit. Demmin in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, for example, has the most negative value with -20,7. These results of the in some parts very negative values, mean that especially in the regions of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lietuva (NUTS 2 level) we can point out a very high decrease of the population size. Table: Population change, by NUTS 3 regions, 2008 (per 1000 inhabitants) NUTS Region name Value EU-27-4,1 DK021 Østsjælland 4,9 DK022 Vest- og Sydsjælland 1,2 DE801 Greifswald, Kreisfreie Stadt 5,3 DE802 Neubrandenburg, Kf. Stadt -12,9 DE803 Rostock, Kreisfreie Stadt 3,4 DE804 Schwerin, Kreisfreie Stadt -3,2 DE805 Stralsund, Kreisfreie Stadt -2,8 DE806 Wismar, Kreisfreie Stadt -6,3 DE807 Bad Doberan -4,8 DE808 Demmin -20,7 DE809 Güstrow -15,8 DE80A Ludwigslust -12,0 DE80B Mecklenburg-Strelitz -14,9 DE80C Müritz -11,4 DE80D Nordvorpommern -13,7 DE80E Nordwestmecklenburg -7,6 DE80F Ostvorpommern -11,7 DE80G Parchim -16,7 DE80H Rügen -12,2 DE80I Uecker-Randow -16,0 LT001 Alytaus apskritis -10,7 LT002 Kauno apskritis -4,7 LT003 Klaipedos apskritis -1,6 LT004 Marijampoles apskritis -7,4 LT005 Panevezio apskritis -10,6 LT006 Siauliu apskritis -10,9 LT007 Taurages apskritis -10,4 LT008 Telsiu apskritis) -5,5 LT009 Utenos apskritis -12,6 LT00A Vilniaus apskritis 2,0 PL631 Slupski 2,6 PL633 Trojmiejski -2,0 PL634 Gdanski 15,0 PL635 Starogardzki 2,6 SE211 Jönköpings län 4,9 SE212 Kronobergs län 7,9 SE213 Kalmar län -1,9 SE214 Gotlands län -2,1 Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook Page 8

9 The results of the life expectancy at birth of male people in the South Baltic Sea region point out, that the NUTS 2 region of Sjælland (75,3 years), Mecklenburg- Vorpommern (75,5 years), Pomorskie (71,8 years) and Småland med öarna (79,2 years) have nearly the same value as the EU-27 average (76,1 years). Only the region of Lietuva with 65,5 years life expectancy at birth of male people has a much lower value. An interim conclusion in this case could be, that the conditions for a long and healthy life or also the framework requirements for the social and health care services in the according NUTS 2 regions in Denmark, Germany, Poland and Sweden are better than in Lithuania. Figure: Life expectancy at birth, males, by NUTS 2 regions, average (years) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook In regard to the analyse of the life expectancy at birth of female people in the South Baltic Sea region, the relation of the value distribution is quite similar to the male people, although women have in average a higher life expectancy of about 5 years compared with male people. Also in the case of life expectancy at birth of female people, the region of Lietuva has a lower value in relation to the other four NUTS 2 regions, which have nearly the same value as the EU-27 average. But the difference in the case of life expectancy at birth of female people in Lietuva according to the Page 9

10 higher value of the EU-27 average is lower (nearly 5 years) than the same difference according to the life expectancy at birth of male people (more than 10 years). Figure: Life expectancy at birth, females, by NUTS 2 regions, average (years) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook Mobility and migration The net migration, as the net balance between immigration to and emigration from an area, expressed as a number of persons 3, shows that in urban areas and their peripheries the values are nearly as high as the EU-27 average. Especially the bigger city areas like Rostock (4,2 per 1000 inhabitants) in Germany or Gdanski (8,1) in Poland are really attractive for people to work and live there. On the other hand the rural areas, especially in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lithuania have negative values, many of them are even double-digit. That means that for example NUTS 3 regions like Demmin (-16,2) in Germany or Siauliu apskritis (-7,3) in Lithuania are the most uncomely areas in their South Baltic Sea regions concerning the attractiveness for immigrants. As possible reasons for the negative values of regions like these a negative labour market situation, a bad social and health care service situation or missing possibilities for cultural activities etc. can be assumed. 3 Page 10

11 Table: Net migration (incl. statist. adjustment), by NUTS 3 regions, 2008 (per 1000 inhabitants) NUTS Region name Value EU-27-2,9 DK021 Østsjælland 2,6 DK022 Vest- og Sydsjælland 2,7 DE801 Greifswald, Kreisfreie Stadt 6,7 DE802 Neubrandenburg, Kf. Stadt -12,5 DE803 Rostock, Kreisfreie Stadt 4,2 DE804 Schwerin, Kreisfreie Stadt -0,3 DE805 Stralsund, Kreisfreie Stadt 0,9 DE806 Wismar, Kreisfreie Stadt -2,1 DE807 Bad Doberan -3,0 DE808 Demmin -16,2 DE809 Güstrow -12,1 DE80A Ludwigslust -9,3 DE80B Mecklenburg-Strelitz -11,8 DE80C Müritz -8,1 DE80D Nordvorpommern -10,2 DE80E Nordwestmecklenburg -6,6 DE80F Ostvorpommern -8,2 DE80G Parchim -12,1 DE80H Rügen -7,9 DE80I Uecker-Randow -10,9 LT001 Alytaus apskritis -5,4 LT002 Kauno apskritis -2,5 LT003 Klaipedos apskritis -0,8 LT004 Marijampoles apskritis -4,4 LT005 Panevezio apskritis -5,0 LT006 Siauliu apskritis -7,3 LT007 Taurages apskritis -6,9 LT008 Telsiu apskritis) -4,9 LT009 Utenos apskritis -4,9 LT00A Vilniaus apskritis 3,0 PL631 Slupski -1,4 PL633 Trojmiejski -2,3 PL634 Gdanski 8,1 PL635 Starogardzki -1,8 SE211 Jönköpings län 3,7 SE212 Kronobergs län 6,9 SE213 Kalmar län 0,8 SE214 Gotlands län -0,9 Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook If we look on the share of non-nationals in the resident population of the five according countries Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden we can see that the attractiveness of these nations in general is quite different. Germany points out above-averaged values concerning citizens of other EU member states (3,09 %) and also citizens of non-member countries (5,68 %). While Sweden and Denmark have values concerning the share of non-nationals in the resident population, which Page 11

12 are nearly on the same level as the EU-27 average, Lithuania and Poland are below the average, especially concerning the citizens of other EU member states (Lithuania 0,07 %; Poland 0,03 %). Similar to the previous explanations of the net migration on NUTS 3 level (regional view), the national view on migration, based on the results of the share of non-nationals in the resident population, could lead to the interim conclusion, that the higher values are caused by attractive labour market situations, a good social and health care service situation or a lot of possibilities for cultural activities etc. Table: Share of non-nationals in the resident population, 2009 (%) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat yearbook After looking on some data and results concerning the migration in the regional and also in the national context, it is very interesting and of course also very important to focus the worklife occupational category mobility experiences of people in the EU and especially in the South Baltic Sea region. If we summarise all possible classes of the worklife occupational category mobility experiences, which means upward class mobility, no vertical mobility and downward class mobility, we can highlight the following results in regard to the job mobility and therefore also to the mobility willingness of people in the South Baltic Sea region. In Denmark about 90 percent of Page 12

13 all working people have experiences in job mobility. This is the best value in the European Union. Sweden has a value of about 85 percent and so it is on the third position in Europe. Lithuania with about 82 percent has also a very high value concerning having experiences in job mobility, as well as Denmark and Sweden. Germany (about 70 %) and Poland (about 69 %) are only on the level of the EU average (about 71 %), so the experiences in job mobility are relatively small. A conclusion of these data could be that the high values of experiences in job mobility concerning the national and worklife occupational category view could also lead to more job mobility of these persons in the EU in regard to not only changing national worklife occupational categories, but changing geographical working places and so working also in other EU states. Figure: Distribution of employed persons by worklife occupational category mobility experiences, EU-25, 2007 (%) Source: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2007): Occupational mobility in Europe. The previous data and figure were focused on all people of the EU states, but it is further also very interesting to analyse which kind of job mobility especially persons Page 13

14 have, who are in their mid and late career. Poland, which was, according to the other four states, on the last position concerning the worklife occupational category mobility experiences of all people, has here the best value (about 32 %) in regard to occupational category mobility experiences of employed persons by mid and late career. Lithuania (about 26 %), Denmark (about 23 %) and Sweden (about 23 %) are nearly on the same level as the EU average (about 23 %). Germany has the lowest value of all EU states with only about 11 percent of employed persons who have occupational category mobility experiences in regard to mid and late career. So the conclusion of the these results could be that German people are not very experienced and therefore not very willing to create or realise a job mobility if they are in their mid and late career. Another explanation could also be that in countries like Poland the labour market situation for people in mid and late career is more insecure and fragile, so that they are forced to be more mobile in the labour market when they are older. Figure: Distribution of employed persons by mid and late career occupational category mobility experiences, EU-25, 2007 (%) Source: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2007): Occupational mobility in Europe. Page 14

15 Structure of labour market The employment rate as one of the most important indicators for a successful labour market highlights that Denmark (75,7 %), Sweden (72,2 %) and Germany (70,9 %) have higher values than the EU-27 average (64,7 %). Indeed, Lithuania with 60,1 percent and Poland with 59,3 percent are below the European average, but the values are only about 5 percent lower and so the national view on the employment rate can be assessed as quite positive. Table: Employment rate, age group 15-64, 2009 (%) 2009 EU-27 64,6 Euro area (EA-16) 64,7 Netherlands 77,0 Denmark 75,7 Sweden 72,2 Austria 71,6 Germany 70,9 Cyprus 69,9 United Kingdom 69,9 Finland 68,7 Slovenia 67,5 Portugal 66,3 Czech Republic 65,4 Luxembourg 65,2 France 64,2 Estonia 63,5 Bulgaria 62,6 Ireland 61,8 Belgium 61,6 Greece 61,2 Latvia 60,9 Slovakia 60,2 Lithuania 60,1 Spain 59,8 Poland 59,3 Romania 58,6 Italy 57,5 Hungary 55,4 Malta 54,9 Switzerland 79,2 Iceland 78,3 Norway 76,4 Croatia 56,6 Turkey 44,3 FYR of Macedonia 43,3 Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat yearbook Page 15

16 For having not only the national view on the employment rate but also focus the regional differences in many areas of the EU states and especially the South Baltic Sea region, we have to analyse also the dispersion of regional employment rates. Poland (4,5) and Germany (4,3) have quite high values concerning the variation of employment rates across regions, so that a gap between employment rates of city areas (for example Gdanski) and rural areas (for example Demmin) can be pointed out. Sweden (3,1) has a less lower coefficient concerning the variation of employment rates across regions. Denmark (1,8) has the lowest value in EU-27 and so the assumption could be that the labour market policy and the related measure quality are also on a very high level in the rural areas and not only in the urban centres. Table: Dispersion of regional employment rates (coefficient of variation of employment rates (of the age group 15-64) across regions (NUTS 2 level)) EU-27 12,1 11,8 Euro area (EA-15) 10,5 12,4 Italy 15,6 17,4 Hungary 9,4 9,7 Spain 8,7 8,8 Belgium 8,7 8,7 Bulgaria 6,9 8,1 Slovakia 9,0 8,0 France 7,1 6,9 United Kingdom 5,9 5,9 Finland 5,5 5,3 Romania 4,9 5,0 Czech Republic 5,6 4,7 Poland 6,4 4,5 Germany 6,0 4,3 Greece 4,1 3,4 Austria 3,5 3,3 Portugal 3,5 3,3 Sweden 4,4 3,1 Netherlands 2,3 2,3 Denmark - 1,8 Turkey - 15,5 Croatia - 7,8 Switzerland 3,8 3,6 Norway 1,7 2,3 Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat yearbook At the NUTS 2 level: Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Malta are treated as one region, as was Denmark in 2004; Ireland and Slovenia have only two regions; for non-member countries statistical regions equivalent to NUTS level 2 are used. Page 16

17 The following table should give an overview about the interesting differences of employment rates according to the gender of working people and also in regard to older workers. Especially the low employment rates of older workers in Poland can be pointed out. Table: Employment rates for selected population groups (%) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat yearbook The relation of the employment rate and the highest level of education points out the following findings: In the educational levels of pre-primary, primary and lower secondary institutions (ISCED levels 0-2) Sweden and Denmark have much higher values than the EU-27 average. Germany is nearly on the same stage as the European average is. In Poland and Lithuania only about 40 percent of all graduates from pre-primary, primary and lower secondary levels are getting a job. Also in upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary levels (ISCED levels 3-4) Sweden and Denmark have much higher values than the EU-27 average, while Germany has only a moderate higher value than the European average. The differences of the values of Lithuania and Poland are in regard to the Page 17

18 EU-27 average also identifiable, but not as much as the difference in the pre-primary, primary and lower secondary levels. In the educational level of tertiary institutions all five countries are nearly on the same value level as the EU-27 average. The conclusion could be, that especially Poland and Lithuania should create and implement more innovative labour market policy measures to reduce the number of graduates from pre-primary, primary and lower secondary and upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary levels, who can not find a job. Table: Employment rate by highest level of education, age group 25-64, 2009 (%) Pre-primary, primary & lower secondary - ISCED levels 0-2 Page 18 Upper secondary & post-secondary non-tertiary - ISCED levels 3-4 Tertiary - ISCED levels 5-6 EU-27 54,7 73,7 84,5 Euro area (EA-16) 55,2 74,8 84,1 Belgium 48,0 74,0 84,2 Bulgaria 46,4 75,4 85,8 Czech Republic 43,9 75,1 84,3 Denmark 64,6 79,7 87,4 Germany 55,3 76,2 87,1 Estonia 47,4 71,6 82,8 Ireland 50,0 69,1 82,0 Greece 59,7 68,4 82,5 Spain 54,0 70,7 81,1 France 56,2 74,8 83,6 Italy 51,2 73,1 79,2 Cyprus 64,7 78,2 86,4 Latvia 49,3 69,2 83,3 Lithuania 38,6 68,3 86,9 Luxembourg 61,6 70,2 85,1 Hungary 37,4 67,0 78,8 Malta 47,8 82,0 84,9 Netherlands 63,6 81,7 88,1 Austria 55,6 77,6 86,7 Poland 41,6 66,3 85,3 Portugal 69,0 80,1 86,7 Romania 54,7 68,5 86,0 Slovenia 53,7 74,6 88,4 Slovakia 30,3 72,0 83,2 Finland 56,8 74,8 84,4 Sweden 65,2 82,6 88,1 United Kingdom 57,8 77,4 85,3 Iceland 77,1 82,6 88,3 Norway 66,2 82,7 90,4 Switzerland 67,9 81,9 89,8 Croatia 45,9 65,6 81,8 FYR of Macedonia 33,6 58,7 74,3 Turkey 43,3 58,3 73,5 Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat yearbook 2011.

19 Because of the fact, that job mobility is often caused by earning less money, the following table focuses the problem of low wage earners in the South Baltic Sea region. Lithuania has with 27,7 percent a high value concerning full-time employees earning less than two thirds of the median gross annual earnings. That is the second worst rank. In Poland with 21,9 percent and Germany with 19,6 percent the situation of low wages is also quite negative. In Sweden (9,7 %) and Denmark (8,0 %) only about one of ten persons is earning less than two thirds of the median gross annual earnings. Table: Low wage earners - full-time employees earning less than two thirds of the median gross annual earnings, 2006 (% of employess) 2006 Latvia 30,9 Lithuania 27,7 Bulgaria 27,1 Romania 26,7 Hungary 23,5 Estonia 23,1 Poland 21,9 United Kingdom 21,6 Ireland 21,4 Cyprus 21,4 Portugal 20,3 Germany 19,6 Slovakia 17,4 Greece 16,8 Slovenia 16,4 Czech Republic 16,3 Luxembourg 15,2 Spain 15,1 Austria 14,5 Netherlands 13,9 Italy 13,3 Malta 11,2 Sweden 9,7 France 8,8 Denmark 8,0 Belgium 7,0 Finland 6,0 Iceland 13,4 Norway 6,1 Turkey 0,6 Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat yearbook Also the labour market policy measures and possibilities of participation in them are influencing factors for job mobility. In the field of training measure participation Germany can be assessed as very successful, but also Poland and Denmark are Page 19

20 quite active in that field of labour market policy measures. Job rotation and job sharing measures are not very established in labour market policy of the five countries, which is surely a challenge for further processes of improving job mobility also in the South Baltic Sea region. In the field of supported employment and rehabilitation Poland is very active. Denmark, Sweden and Germany are also using this type of action for an innovative labour market policy quite often. Table: Labour market policy measures, participants by type of action, 2008 (annual average stock in 1000) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat yearbook Education and educational standards The early child education is getting more and more important in the world. So, because of this fact, it is also very important to have a look on the participation rates of 4-years-olds in education in the South Baltic Sea region. The findings show that the regions of Sjælland (95,80 %), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (94,30 %) and Småland med öarna (92,60 %) are nearly on the same level as the EU-27 average (90,45 %). Lietuva with 68,70 percent has a much lower value. The worst value for participation of 4-years-olds in education has Pomorskie (45,80 %). This is only Page 20

21 about half of the EU-27 average. Two conclusions seem to be an explanation for this low value: missing options or institutions for early child education or a longer familiar caring of young children at home especially in the pre-primary level of education. Figure: Participation rates of 4-years-olds in education, by NUTS 2 regions, 2009 (%, at pre-primary and primary education, ISCED levels 0 and 1) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook In the level of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education Småland med öarna (46,20 %) and Sjælland (45,70 %) have much higher values concerning participation than the EU-27 average (37,92 %). The region Pomorskie with 39,00 percent has nearly the same level as the European average. Mecklenburg- Vorpommern with 31,00 percent and especially Lietuva with only 23,10 percent are ranked very lowly. Influencing factors for these results could be the different educations systems with the different approaches of educational transition management and also the higher value of tertiary education in regard to the level of secondary educational institutions in some countries. Page 21

22 Figure: Students at upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education, as a percentage of the population aged 15 to 24, by NUTS 2 regions, 2009 (ISCED levels 3 and 4) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook The participation in tertiary education as the highest level of education points out very different participation values in the South Baltic Sea region. While the regions Lietuva (77,40 %) and Småland med öarna (73,60 %) are very above-averaged, Pomorskie with 63,10 percent and Sjælland with 55,50 percent are nearly on the level of the EU- 27 average (60,67 %). With only 40,20 percent Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has the lowest value. Explanations for these results could be the different structures concerning (tertiary) educational institutions and, as well as mentioned in the previous table conclusions, the different value of tertiary education in regard to the level of secondary educational institutions in some countries. But not only studying in a tertiary educational institution is important, for example as a sign for national or regional tertiary accessibility. Also the question of completion and graduation has to be focused, because it is a sign for the systemic, institutional and individual framework requirements of studying. In this case Pomorskie (21,1 %) for example has a below averaged value concerning the EU-27 value (25,2 %), while the participation of students in tertiary education is quite high. Page 22

23 Figure: Students in tertiary education, as a percentage of the population aged 20 to 24 years old, by NUTS 2 regions, 2009 (ISCED levels 5 and 6) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook Figure: Educational attainment level, by NUTS 2 regions, 2009 (% of the population aged 25 to 64 having completed tertiary education) Source: European Commission (2011): Eurostat regional yearbook Page 23

24 Strengths and weaknesses of the South Baltic Sea region In regard to the previous data analyses and explanations we can summarise the following selection of some strengths and weaknesses of the South Baltic Sea region: According to the demographic structure and change in the South Baltic Sea region we can point out positive that in general still a lot of children are born in this area (at least not less than in many other EU areas). So in the medium turn many areas in the South Baltic Sea region remain or also can become quite young and attractive places of living and working. On the other hand there is also a quite high number of older people, and people are also getting older and older in general no matter if male or female, so that the rising costs for health and social care will become a big challenge also for the South Baltic Sea region. Another finding is, that the rural areas are losing more and more people, who are going to work and live in bigger city areas, so that especially the regional labour market structures and also the social, cultural and civil life in these rural areas are getting less heterogeneous. Concerning the facts of mobility and migration data for the South Baltic Sea region it is a huge problem and a big challenge that the net migration in many areas is negative and also in the famous and bigger city areas only on a moderate positive level. Because of this it should be a task for political and economic decisionmakers to develop and implement further measures to make the South Baltic Sea region more attractive in itself but also for people from other regions. A good point is, that at least in Germany, Denmark and Sweden we have a quite good migration policy, which makes the countries at all and, of course, furthermore their regions quite attractive for foreign workers. Lithuania and Poland should improve their general migration policy, because this is actually a gap in the development of mobility in the South Baltic Sea region. That a lot of people in the South Baltic Sea region have experiences in job mobility in their own countries and regions can be a big strength for the further development of international job mobility, although the individual challenges of transnational job mobility, like language or cultural aspects, have to be handled. If we look, concerning strengths and weaknesses, on the structure of the labour market in the South Baltic Sea region we can highlight a quite good situation concerning the employment rates, although there are especially some rural areas, which have big problems with high unemployment rates and so furthermore with the social system functionality. In general Lithuania and Poland have to develop and Page 24

25 implement more effective national labour market policy measures, which improve the employment rate in the regions from the national level of decisions. Because of the fact, that we have in many areas of the South Baltic Sea region a quite high dispersion of regional employment rates, also the regional improvement of labour market policy measures should be a focus, also to support possible job mobility between the regions in the South Baltic Sea region. Because of the fact, that job mobility is also influenced by wages, the improvement of the problem of low wage earners, especially in the Lithuanian, Polish and also some German areas in the COHAB project regions, has to be solved to make all regions in the South Baltic Sea region more attractive concerning earning a good and fair wage. Also the labour market policy measures and possibilities of participation in them is an influencing factor for job mobility. A positive finding we can point out is, that a lot of training measures are established and also supported employment and rehabilitation has a very high value in development and implementation. A weakness is the very low offering of and participation in models and approaches of job rotation and job sharing, because this is surely a challenge for further processes of improving job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region. The education systems and educational standards in the South Baltic Sea region in general are on a high quality level. The more and more important focus on early child education can be seen and recognised in the whole region, except for Poland, which is very low ranked in this field. The participation rates and the completion rates of students in the secondary and also in the tertiary levels of education are quite high and so there is a quite high number of highly qualified young people, who are specified graduates in different branches and subjects. So the task of the political and economic decisionmakers of the South Baltic Sea region is to analyse which kind of experts are needed in which regions and therefore which kind of specific competence development and exchange programmes should be created and implemented to install young competent, mobile and flexible people all over the South Baltic Sea region. Page 25

26 To complete this chapter we would like to focus once more whether briefly on the impact of national political history developments on job mobility aspects, more precisely the influence of employment regimes on the vocational specificity of training systems and so, furthermore, on the possible degree of job mobility in the regions of the South Baltic Sea region. The following table points out the degrees of vocational specificity of training systems, by employment regime, in the EU: Denmark and Sweden are categorised as medium social-democratic, Germany as high conservative, Lithuania as low postsocialist liberal and Poland as medium post-socialist conservative. Table: Degree of vocational specificity of training systems, by employment regime, EU25 Source: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2007): Occupational mobility in Europe. Looking on the following two figures we can now classify the five relevant countries in regard to the worklife occupational category mobility experiences of people in general and to the worklife occupational category mobility experiences of people, who are in their mid and late career. So the findings of these classification analyse can be, that political structures, who are more social-democratic (Denmark, Sweden) have the most positive influence on a better job mobility, directly being followed by liberal and post-socialist liberal (Lithuania). Conservative (Germany) and post-socialist conservative (Poland) political backgrounds have a less positive influence on a better job mobility. Additional, a further finding in regard to the second figure for working people in their mid and late career is then, that the differences in the influence of employment regimes on the vocational specificity of training systems and so, furthermore, on the possible degree of job mobility in the regions of the South Baltic Sea region, are significant less in relation to the first figure of all employed workers. Page 26

27 Figure: Distribution of employed persons by worklife occupational category mobility experiences, by employment regime, 2007 (%) Source: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2007): Occupational mobility in Europe. Figure: Distribution of employed persons by mid and late career occupational category mobility experiences, by employment regime, 2007 (%) Source: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2007): Occupational mobility in Europe. Page 27

28 2 Challenges for teacher profession in the South Baltic Sea region Teaching as a social task Not only because of the influences of the megatrends in the 21 st century education becomes more and more complex. So, of course, also teachers in the South Baltic Sea region have to face the fact that it is not only knowledge which has to be transferred to the students. Also the aspects of so called key skills are getting more and more important. Also social dysfunctional developments in the society, which are for example caused by growing social problems in urban city areas as well as in the rural regions, have to be handled by professional teachers as a special social task. To manage these not only educational but also social or political tasks successfully also teachers in the South Baltic Sea region have to develop and improve their teacher effectiveness. This means especially to improve the teaching effectiveness according to the individual social situation of each student, to face the school effects of teachers as members of professional teaching and to handle the characteristics of national education systems and their regional implementation. Figure: Layers of analysis in identifying contents and forms of teachersʼ professional development Source: European Commission (2010): Teachers Professional Development. Page 28

29 If we now think, in consequence of these needed forms of teachers professional development, about a new teacher generation, which is able to handle this fact of teaching as a social task and is more willing to improve their teacher professionalism, a view on the distribution of teachers by age group in primary and secondary education in the COHAB project regions is quite useful. In regard to the primary education the ranking concerning teachers, who are younger than 30 years, is leaded by Poland (16,6 %) followed by Denmark (9,7%), Lithuania (6,9 %), Sweden (5,8 %) and Germany (5,2%). So if we now suppose that younger teachers are more able and willing to develop and improve their teacher professionalism, also including the fact of being mobile to learn more about benchmarks or best-practice projects in education in other regions or nations, Poland and Denmark have good chances to create programmes especially for more job mobility for teachers, while especially Sweden and Germany with about 50 percent of teachers aged above 50 years have a worse situation regarding this approach. Table: Distribution of teachers by age group in primary education (ISCED 1), public and private sectors combined, Source: Eurostat, UOE (data extracted December 2009) Source: European Commission (2010): Developing coherent and system-wide induction programmes for beginning teachers. Also regarding the secondary education Poland (19,4 %) has the top ranking, concerning teachers, who are younger than 30 years. Lithuania (11,5 %), Sweden (8,7 %) and Germany (2,9 %) are the following positions, while Denmark was not assessed in this statistic, but a value similar to primary education can be assumed. So if we use the same approach of the suggestion that younger teachers are more able and willing to develop and improve their teacher professionalism also in the secondary education, Poland and Lithuania have a quite good basis of young teachers, who they can promote with adequate programmes, also including the Page 29

30 aspect of job mobility and transnational learning processes. Germany with only about 3 percent of young teachers but more than 50 percent of teachers aged above 50 years has to improve the teacher-training programmes in general and also the reputation of the job of a teacher. Table: Distribution of teachers by age group in secondary education (ISCED 2 and 3), public and private sectors combined, Source: Eurostat, UOE (data extracted December 2009) Source: European Commission (2010): Developing coherent and system-wide induction programmes for beginning teachers. Professional teaching If we think about teachers and their professional development, also in the South Baltic Sea region, teachers have to be focused on the one hand on school context characteristics and on the other hand on teacher background experiences. So, of course, school policy and climate are the basic framework requirements for teachers, but according to this they should use their teacher practices, beliefs and attitudes to improve their own individual approach of a professional teaching. So regarding to teachers who are willing and able to improve their own teacher employability the need for and participation in professional teacher development is the consequence. In the end and in the best case there will be teachers, who are highly qualified and really experienced. Especially for the fact of the job mobility this basic conceptual framework for teacher professionalism means, that special programmes should improve and increase not only the school context characteristics for more mobility but also the believe of teachers, that job mobility is a very good way to learn more about other approaches of the daily work as a teacher in other regions or nations and than transfer these experiences into the own working context. Page 30

31 Figure: Basic conceptual framework for teacher professionalism Source: European Commission (2010): Teachers Professional Development. The Summary of characteristics associated with more effective teachers highlights that nearly all of them are directly connectable with the requirements for job mobility or in this special case with teacher mobility. Characteristics like confidence and respect are for example also basic needs for job mobility as drive for improvement, initiative, flexibility and passion for learning as well. To summarise this clustering of characteristics for teacher professionalism all of these facts are focused on a proactive behaviour, which means that professional teachers have to be not only mobile in thinking and acting but, in regard to learning through experiences by job mobility, also mobile in occupational travelling. Table: Summary of characteristics associated with more effective teachers Source: European Commission (2010): Teachers Professional Development. Page 31

32 To highlight in extracts the current situation of teacher professionalism, including the approach of the involved improvement of teacher mobility, the following figure shows the establishment of a training plan for the continuing professional development of teachers for ISCED Levels 1 and 2. According to the level of responsibility Lithuania can point out responsibilities at the central level as well as at the school or local level. In Denmark, Poland and Sweden the responsibility is only at the school or local level, while in Germany it is only at the central level. Concerning the compulsory inclusion in school development plans only Lithuania finalised this yet. Summarised Lithuania currently has the best establishment of training plans for continuing and sustainable teacher professionalism. So, from the view of the legitimated educational framework setting, Lithuania has the best possibility to implement programmes for the improvement of teacher mobility according to the COHAB project regions. Figure: Establishment of a training plan for the continuing professional development of teachers, ISCED Levels 1 and 2, 2006/07 Source: European Commission (2010): Teachers Professional Development. Labour market differences and perspectives In regard to the already highlighted general differences in the labour market situations and perspectives of the South Baltic Sea region, focused on the national level as well as on the regional level, there are also some special differences for the specific profession of teachers in the COHAB project regions. The following table shows different age groups of teachers for the ISCED levels 1, 2 and 3. If we only have a look on the sum of the teachers of the ISCED levels 1, 2 and 3 who are Page 32

33 between 50 and 60 years old and the ones who are even older than 60 years, Poland has the lowest value with only 21,3 percent, followed by Lithuania with 36,0 percent. Germany with 55,0 percent and Sweden with 57,8 percent have quite high values in that case. Unfortunately Denmark was not assessed in this statistic, but in can be assumed that the data would rank Denmark between Poland and Lithuania. 5 These results show that especially Poland has a lot of young teachers, who are available for the labour market, and so it also can be assumed that the reputation of the job of a teacher is higher than in the other states. Especially Germany and Sweden have to solve the big challenge of an over-aged pool of teacher staff, for example by creating new teacher-training programmes and programmes for improving the reputation of the job of a teacher in the society. Table: Teaching profession in Europe Source: European Commission (2010): Teachers Professional Development. 5 See for example European Commission (2010): Developing coherent and system-wide induction programmes for beginning teachers. Page 33

34 Existing mobility and mobility barriers The fact of an established and also growing job mobility for teachers in the South Baltic Sea region is directly linked to the development and legitimated educational framework setting of teacher professionalism in the different regions and in a second step also to the transnational and on exchange programmes based development of teacher professionalism in all regions in the South Baltic Sea region. Because of the fact of a young teacher staff in a lot of areas in the whole South Baltic Sea region, big potentials for the improvement of a currently quite moderate teacher mobility can be assumed, if the right and sustainable programmes will be established and successfully implemented. Also the many mobility and exchange programmes for pupils, students and also employees by the European Commission in the last years and of course, especially the processes of teacher professionalism in Europe in general as well as in the countries, are a very good basis for the further steps to improve the teacher mobility in the South Baltic Sea region. In this context the further development of programmes improving teacher mobility should especially be based on a personal exchange of teachers with other teachers in regard to their subjects and competences and consider always the sociocultural differences in the regions. There are also a lot of barriers for the mobility of teachers in the South Baltic Sea region. A lot of them are identifiable, measureable and in many cases also adequate to overcome, but many of them are also a question of social habits, cultural aspects and historical educational and political system backgrounds, which are quite difficult to handle in the process of improvement. To face for example the problem of a low reputation of the job of a teacher in some areas of the South Baltic Sea region common campaigns could present successful teacher stories of different teachers from all of the regions. Also the problem of not or too less legitimated educational framework settings in regard to the establishment of training plans for the continuing professional development of teachers (as an indicator for the improvement of teacher mobility), could be faced by conferences, workshops, exchange programmes etc., which are focused on the target group of political decisionmakers in the field of education. A mobility-friendly development of the legitimated educational framework settings in each region and also in the transnational aspect between the regions should be the objective of this process. Page 34

35 3 Challenges for nurse profession in the South Baltic Sea region Nursing as a social task To highlight the current situation of the profession of nurses and its social task, especially in the South Baltic Sea region, the following figure should point out the preferred way of regular (medical) help and long-term care. This figure shows in general that nursing in hospitals but also in other health care institutions and even home care nursing services, are becoming more and more important in regard to the fact of less home caring by relatives, especially in highly industrial developed countries or regions. So nursing becomes more and more a fundamental social task regarding to a more and more older society, which needs an increasing number of professional (medical) help and long-term care services. Figure: Preferred way of regular (medical) help and long-term care (by EU states) Source: European Commission (2007): EUROBAROMETER: Health and long-term care in the European Union. Page 35

36 Only Poland with 70 percent as the highest value of all EU states concerning home caring by relatives and Lithuania with 58 percent, in that case on position 4 in Europe, are currently more focused on familiar care traditions. Germany is in regard to home caring by relatives with 48 percent mid ranked. People from Sweden with only 34 percent and especially from Denmark with only 20 percent (and so on the last position in Europe) are not very interested in home caring by relatives but more in using professional (medical) help and long-term care services, also by nursing. So the explanations of this data could be, that especially in Poland and Lithuania the number of people, who prefer familiar regular (medical) help and long-term care, is so high, because of two facts: On the one hand, because the familiar care tradition is higher established in this two countries and on the other hand, because the infrastructure in medical and health care services is not as professional established as in Denmark, Sweden and Germany, so they are forced to use this way of familiar medical and health care services. Professional nursing Not only because of the fact of a more and more older society, which will need more and longer (medical) help and long-term care services, the requirements for the profession of nursing become more and more heterogeneous and complex. To prove the need of professional workers in the medical and also in the long-term care services the following figure shows, that in the South Baltic Sea region in general more than 50 percent say, that they expect the need of professional help if they are older. Sweden (58 %) and Denmark (55 %) are ranked very high in that case. Also in Lithuania (52 %) and Poland (49 %) about 50 percent of the people assess, that professional help concerning medical and also long-term care services is needed by them. Only Germany (43 %) points out a value, which is lower than the EU average of 45 percent. An interesting fact in regard to the results of the two last figures is that people from Poland and Lithuania are on the one hand very family-oriented concerning the medical and also the long-term care services, but assess on the other hand, that they will need professional service quality in the very complex field of medical and longterm care services. This shows a big gap, because in the future more and more Page 36

37 professional help is needed, and relatives can not realise the upcoming medical or long-term care challenges for their families alone. Figure: Expectation of dependence on regular (medical) help and long-term care (by EU states) Source: European Commission (2007): EUROBAROMETER: Health and long-term care in the European Union. Labour market differences and perspectives To point out some labour market differences and perspectives for the profession of nurses in regard to the different regions in the South Baltic Sea region the following figure gives an impression about the quality assessment of health care services and so also about the working environments for nurses in the COHAB project regions. Page 37

38 With about 90 percent people from Sweden assess the quality of hospitals as good. So Sweden is on the third position in Europe in that case. Denmark with 85 percent and Germany with 79 percent have values also higher as the EU average (71 %), as well as Sweden. The quality assessment of hospitals in Lithuania highlights only 57 percent of people, who assessed a good quality. On the last position (together with Romania) Poland has only a value of 42 percent. So, if we now suggest, that quality of working environments is surely an indicator for the job mobility of employees, for example the attractiveness for Polish or Lithuanian nurses to go working abroad in Danish or Swedish hospitals is much more higher than the other way around. Figure: Quality assessment of health care services (by EU states) Source: European Commission (2007): EUROBAROMETER: Health and long-term care in the European Union. Page 38

39 In addition to the quality assessment of medical institutions also the accessibility to these kind of institutions is an indicator for the labour market situation for nurses. If the access to hospitals for example is limited it could also be caused by the fact of a too small number of nurses or other medical and long-term care staff of course. So if on the one hand more professional employees for medical and long-term care, especially in the regions with a very low accessibility of hospitals, are needed, these regions should improve the vocational training situation to get more nurses or invest into getting skilled and mobile medical and long-term care staff especially from neighboured regions. 6 Figure: Assessment of access to health care services (by EU states) Source: European Commission (2007): EUROBAROMETER: Health and long-term care in the European Union. 6 Of course in all national data and statistics possible regional dispersions have to be considered. Page 39

40 The previous figure shows that Germany (87 %) has the highest accessibility in the South Baltic Sea region. All of the other COHAB project regions are below the EU average (76 %): Denmark has 74 percent, Poland 69 percent, Sweden 68 percent and Lithuania 65 percent. These results could point out that Germany has the best relation between the needed/asked services and the possibility of available services and so also available staff in medical and long-term care, while the other states highlights a bigger mismatch in that case. Existing mobility and mobility barriers Because of the fact of a more and more older society the profession of nursing is becoming more and more important from a quantitative but also qualitative view. So it is for sure that also in the South Baltic Sea region there should be an increasing exchange or transfer concerning knowledge, quality standards, personnel etc. to improve the situation concerning medical and long-term care services in the South Baltic Sea region at all and also from a transnational view. One opportunity could be, that nurses from areas with a lower assessed quality in hospitals could work in exchange programmes for a longer time in hospitals with higher quality standards in other areas of the South Baltic Sea region to learn and to come back to their origin workplaces to improve the quality there. Another option could be that nurses from hospitals with higher quality standards come for a short period to lower developed medical and long-term care services institutions to help them in regard to the development or improvement of quality standards. Both of these cases are good examples for a possible adequate and improving nurse mobility in the South Baltic Sea region, which currently can be assumed as only rudimental. According to the barriers of mobility especially for the profession of nursing, the, in some parts, very high differences in regard to quality standards and accessibility could also be a huge challenge for the potential mobile nurses, because even if they can handle the language requirements misunderstandings or a personal overload concerning the high quality standards could be a huge problem in the daily working process. Additional to this, medical and long-term care services institutions with a small accessibility and so with an assumed lack of personnel could produce Page 40

41 the problem, that they can not ensure sustainable personal assistance and help, for example in a mentoring programme, in the daily working process of the mobile nurses. Another influencing barrier for the mobility of nurses is the fact of the, in many areas of the South Baltic Sea region, very traditional view on medical and longterm care services, which are mainly realised by relatives, especially high in some regions of Poland and Lithuania. These regions have not the same demand on professional nursing services like professional nursing regions (especially some areas in Denmark, Sweden and Germany) and so, they are not as attractive for potential mobile nurses, although the possible region is quite attractive to live and work there in general. Of course, also in the areas with a high value of home caring by relatives, the demographical trends will change also these current state of affairs into a more and more professional nursing needed regional status. Therefore the improvement of the job mobility of nurses in the South Baltic Sea region should be one of the development priorities in the transnational labour market policy. Page 41

42 4 Chances and opportunities for the South Baltic Sea Region If we have a look on the reasons for working in another country in Europe or rather for a better job mobility situation the four main influences are a better quality of life abroad (29 %), better working conditions (27 %), better career or business opportunities (23 %) and better chances of finding employment (21 %). Summarised all of the ten reasons, which are pointed out in the following figure, most of the reasons for working in another country in Europe are focused on influences or requirements concerning the labour market situation or rather the individual working situation of the potential mobile employees. In fact, many areas of the South Baltic Sea region are very beautiful concerning the landscape and attractive in regard to the soft local conditions like the environment and living conditions. So it is a big chance or opportunity as well as a quite difficult and challenging task, to improve the quite good labour market situation of the urban city areas in the South Baltic Sea region in linkage with the surrounding beautiful landscapes in the rural areas to improve the labour market situation furthermore and so be more attractive for mobile employees. Figure: Reasons for working in another country Source: European Commission (2010): EUROBAROMETER: Geographical and labour market mobility - Report. Page 42

43 If we are talking about reasons for working in another country and so, furthermore, of creating and communicating the attractiveness of different regions to promote, improve and support the mobility of mobile employees in the South Baltic Sea region, it is really important to focus also the differences of the countries in the assessment of the reasons for more job mobility. Swedish and Danish people are mainly focused on discovering something new or meeting new people and improving their qualifications, for example language skills. In this case a job mobility of Swedish and Danish people also in the direction of lower developed areas can be assumed, because not the hard labour market factors are the most important ones but experiences and knowledge. This could be a big chance for promoting more job mobility of people from Denmark and Sweden in regard to the other areas in the South Baltic Sea region. Figure: Reasons for working in another country (by EU states) Source: European Commission (2010): EUROBAROMETER: Geographical and labour market mobility - Report. Page 43

44 The willingness of Polish people to work abroad is mainly influenced by better working conditions and a better quality of life abroad. People from Lithuania are looking mainly on better chances of finding employment and also on a better quality of life abroad. So, if we can assume a quite good quality of life in many of the possible target areas for finding a job abroad for Polish or Lithuanian people, the chance or opportunity and further the task is to promote the good working environments or good chances to find a job, which can be definitely find out in many areas of the South Baltic Sea region. Germans have not really one or two main reasons for working abroad, which are really higher valued than other, but also a better quality of life abroad and better working conditions are quite important. So, especially the improvement of the promotion of attractive economic areas in the South Baltic Sea region seems to be a big chance to increase the number of mobile German employees in direction of other areas. Not only the reasons for more job mobility are important to highlight the chances and opportunities for the South Baltic Sea region, but also the reasons against working in another country. The main barrier of job mobility is solidarity with one's native country or region in short the personal linkage to the region. The chance here is to promote the many similarities of many areas in the South Baltic Sea region, not only from the view of landscape, nature or infrastructure but also from the view of similar historical developments, social habits or sociocultural backgrounds. Another reason against working abroad, which is highly ranked, is, that people do not want to expose their families to too many difficult changes by being too mobile. So, the chance and task in that case would be to create not only good work and life conditions for the potential mobile employee but also to create a good framework for the whole family, like job possibilities for the partner as well and daycare facilities and school possibilities for children. To face the really important reason against job mobility of a lack of language skills and to reduce this lack of knowledge, many successful programmes have been implemented by the European Commission very successfully in the last years. But in regard to the special case of improving the job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region by improving the language skills, special language courses with English as a general working language added by courses to promote and to teach the Danish, German, Polish, Lithuanian and Swedish language, also in regard to Page 44

45 special economic linkages between specific regions, have to be developed more and more and should be implemented all over the South Baltic Sea region. Figure: Reasons against working in another country Source: European Commission (2010): EUROBAROMETER: Geographical and labour market mobility - Report. Also in regard to the reasons against working abroad in the European Union we can find some specific differences concerning the South Baltic Sea region, although the main reasons against job mobility are the personal linkage to the region and the worries about the possible big changes for the family. So, for example, only 3 percent of the Danish people are worried about the higher cost of living abroad, of course because the costs in that case are in Denmark one of the highest in Europe. This could be a chance for promoting the job mobility of Danish people to regions with nearly the same economic infrastructure but with much lower living costs. In Page 45

46 Germany and Sweden, as well as in the other areas of the South Baltic Sea region, the reason of bad experiences concerning possible target regions regarding the job mobility is assessed below 5 percent. So the task here is to take the nearly nonexisting prejudices as a chance and find out possible areas of the South Baltic Sea region, which can be interesting for working abroad for quite interested people and to promote their advantages and positive local framework requirements. Because of the fact, that the expectation of a worse political situation and economic climate is not really a reason against working abroad for Lithuanian and Polish people, it is a chance and has to be a task to show that many areas in the South Baltic Sea region are not only attractive by economic, political or labour market aspects (this is already a clear argument for job mobility for Lithuanian or Polish people), but also from the view of similar historical developments, social habits or sociocultural backgrounds. Figure: Reasons against working in another country (by EU states) Source: European Commission (2010): EUROBAROMETER: Geographical and labour market mobility - Report. Page 46

47 5 Suggestions for developing mobility In the previous chapters a lot of suggestions for the development and improvement of mobility in general and also for job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region were already mentioned. To give, summarised, a quite useful compendium of activities for developing mobility in the South Baltic Sea region, in this last chapter we would like to highlight on the one hand the grass roots of mobility development and improvement in Europe, which means processes and developments, which were already done or started also for the South Baltic Sea region, and on the other hand we would like to use the view on the practical difficulties when going to work abroad to create some further ideas of mobility development and improvement in the South Baltic Sea region. The political decisionmakers in Europe have been quite active in the last years creating better framework requirements for more mobility in the European Union. Especially the improvement of the economic and labour market situation in many regions (because of lacking in infrastructure) in the South Baltic Sea region, the development and implementation of promotion programmes for more mobility of people and a lot of transnational research and development projects accomplished very successfully in many cases. The following figure shows an overview of actions, responsible bodies and deadlines for implementation for the improvement of occupational and geographic mobility. In general we can see here that a lot of actions were already done and finalised. Of course most of the actions are going to be continued in new programmes and promoting activities, because they should be working sustainable to ensure the needed framework setting for developing mobility. To highlight some very important actions as sustainable suggestions also for the development and improvement of job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region, especially the focus on the further improvement of the skills development (based also on more transnational processes in the South Baltic Sea region), the improvement of the linkage of education and the economy (based on existing partnerships of schools, vocational training centres and companies in the South Baltic Sea region), the development and improvement of transferability of knowledge, skills and qualifications (based on the specific implementation of the European Qualifications Framework in the South Baltic Sea region or rather between the included countries) Page 47

48 and a further investment in less advanced regions (based on specific economic and sociocultural aspects or indicators in the South Baltic Sea region) should be mentioned. Table: Overview of actions, responsible bodies and deadlines for implementation for the improvement of occupational and geographic mobility Source: European Commission (2002): Commission's Action Plan for skills and mobility. Page 48

49 To point out some more specific suggestions for the development and improvement of job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region we would like to focus some practical difficulties when going to work abroad. The approach here is, that if we analyse the current practical problems or essential barriers of job mobility, we could overcome these obstacles successfully by creating and implementing further adequate promoting programmes, processes and activities especially focused on the framework requirements of the South Baltic Sea region. If more than 50 percent of the people in Europe say, that they have practical difficulties when going to work abroad because of their lack of language skills, it should be a sustainable task to enlarge the current efforts of language teaching and course developments furthermore. The specific suggestions for the South Baltic Sea region could be: First, implementing or improving English as the key language or rather main occupational language for Europe (beginning in the pre-primary educational sector and including all educational levels), second, focusing the specific economic branches or fields of work in all language teaching and course developments (because of the fact of specific successful and needed branches and labour market networks in the South Baltic Sea region) and third, the massive enlargement of language course offers in regard to the languages of the South Baltic Sea region (Danish, German, Polish, Lithuanian and Swedish). In fact, that means also, that the career consulting services in all educational levels (schools, universities etc.) in the South Baltic Sea region should not only be focused on occupational fields but also on showing job opportunities in the neighboured areas in the South Baltic Sea region. In this career consulting processes the needed language skills and existing courses to realise the learning process then should also be transferred to the potential interested mobile persons. The practical difficulty of finding a job is often linked to the question of the time and the circumstances, when people are going to move from one area to another. So here, for sure, it is always the best way to leave the origin working place only in the case of a new and real job opportunity. But also interested geographical mobile persons, who only know first, in which region of the South Baltic Sea region they would like to live and work (for example unemployed persons or people who are focused on a geographical change), but do not have a clear idea, if there is also a real possibility in their field of occupation, should have a permanent access to a common updated, transparent and all regions including labour market database in all Page 49

50 of the languages of the South Baltic Sea region. This kind of South Baltic Sea region labour market database should then include (or at least link) all available important data from the sectors of education, business/ economy, administration and also civil society aspects in the South Baltic Sea region. So, summarised, the question, if interested mobile people are mainly conducted by influences of occupational or geographical mobility is another important fact to analyse in that process and is also maybe the starting point for new promoted research and development projects. Figure: Practical difficulties when going to work abroad Source: European Commission (2010): EUROBAROMETER: Geographical and labour market mobility - Report. The mentioned practical difficulty when going to work abroad of adapting to a different culture is, as already mentioned, a big chance for the South Baltic Sea Page 50

51 region. Not only because of the common historical backgrounds of many areas concerning the Hanseatic League there are many economic, sociocultural and of course also ecological similarities. Although some promoting programmes of the European Union have been quite successful in communicating the common cultural aspects of the South Baltic Sea region, this should be developed furthermore. For example, in the future, new programmes could focus also more the common historical backgrounds or also prospective economic linkages of specific fields of work, which have a traditional or also a future-based linkage in the South Baltic Sea region. Another example could be the specific promoting of the development of intercultural competence (language, culture etc.) especially in schools, universities, companies, administrations, hospitals etc., which already have partnership agreements with other institutions in the South Baltic Sea region. These institutions could act as lighthouses and best-practice examples. To highlight in the end some specific suggestions for the countries and so also for the specific areas of the South Baltic Sea region, the following last figure shows the specific dispersion of practical difficulties when going to work abroad by EU states: Because of the fact that Danish people are quite worried about the reintegration into the occupational life, Denmark should create and develop systems for a better reintegration of mobile persons, who would like to come back to Denmark. Swedish people assess the dealing with the necessary administrative formalities quite high, so a suggestion would be that Swedish administration institutions and also the target country work together more efficiently to solve this problem of bureaucracy. The highest value concerning the lack of language skills can be pointed out in Lithuania, so the task especially in Lithuania should be to improve English as the main occupational language for Europe (beginning in the pre-primary educational sector and including all educational levels) and support other language skill development processes. In Germany, for example the transfer of pension rights is a gap, which could be solved for example by developing and improving the European pension transfer system. Polish people assess nearly all of the mentioned practical difficulties when going to work abroad as moderate difficult influences for their job mobility, some more and some less influencing. But in the end, that could mean for Polish people, that the general motivation of being mobile and flexible should be increased by adequate promoting programmes with a general mobility-activating approach. Page 51

52 Figure: Practical difficulties when going to work abroad (by EU states) Source: European Commission (2010): EUROBAROMETER: Geographical and labour market mobility - Report. Finalising this report, which summarised selected main findings of the data analyses and the literature collection and points out what are the current framework requirements and the development trends in job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region, the following statement could be taken as a general recommendation for a sustainable and successful development and improvement of job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region: To create more job mobility in the South Baltic Sea region more competency development in all educational levels in all areas, more transparency according the current economic and socialcultural developments of the areas and a sustainable, pro-active and positive communication infrastructure between the areas are needed! Page 52