Stuttgart Region Welcome Service : Integrating international professionals to the Stuttgart region Dr. Verena Andrei (Head of Stuttgart Region Welcome Service and Welcome Center Stuttgart) Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH / Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation (WRS) Supported by Baden- Württemberg s Ministry of Finance
Content 1. Basic Information about the Stuttgart Region 2. Welcome Centers in Baden-Württemberg 3. Who we are: Welcome Service Stuttgart Region 4. Welcome Center Stuttgart a unique model for integration 5. Facts and Figures 6. Summary: How people make the difference 1
1. Welcome to the Stuttgart Region Stuttgart Region Located in the south of Germany The capital region of Baden-Württemberg 2
Facts and Figures Stuttgart Region Labour market - Need for qualified employees 6 counties including Stuttgart, the state capital of Baden-Württemberg A leading business location in Europe High-technology region About 160,000 registered companies, most small and medium sized Low unemployment rate and high social stability 3 Need for skilled professionals (60.000/year until 2020)
The labour market in the Stuttgart region Need for high skilled professionals Demografic change : elder generation retires, reduced working force in the future Low unemployment rate: about 4% (Stuttgart region 3,9 in Mai / Germany 6,4 (2015)/ Baden-Württemberg 3,8 in Mai) About 60.000 skilled specialists are needed in 2015/2016 (IHK Fachkräftemonitor 2015) in Baden-Württemberg 15.000 academics, 46.000 professional specialists Stuttgart region 2.600 electrical engineers 1.900 mechanical engineers and machine building 4.600 technicians Further Branches: health, hotel and catering, crafts professions 4 good employment opportunities for skilled specialists vacancies in academic and non-academic professions
Welcome Centers in Baden-Württemberg 10 Welcome Center in the regions of Baden- Württemberg ;1 Welcome Center for the social economy (care and education) for all the regions of Baden-Württemberg Attract international skilled specialists to Baden-Württemberg and integrate them for the long term different supporting organization Intensive co-operation with local and regional labour market organizations/ the regional alliances for skilled professionals financed by ESF in 2014 and Baden- Württemberg s Ministry of Finance and regional organizations/authorities in 2015/2016 5 Network of Baden-W. Welcome Centers
Who we are: Stuttgart Region Welcome Service Welcome Center project for the Stuttgart region by Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation for Stuttgart Region Skilled Specialists Alliance attract international skilled specialists and students to the Stuttgart Region for the long term and to assist them in the integration process ; promote a culture of welcome Target groups: international skilled professionals, their families, and students; and small and medium sized companies 3,5 positions financed by Baden-Württemberg s Ministry of Finance and Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation until 2016 6 Partners: The actors from the Stuttgart Region Skilled Specialist Alliance, local authorities, universities, and further initiatives and association that are involved with migration and integration
The Regions Labour Network The Stuttgart Region Skilled Specialist Alliance The Stuttgart Region Skilled Specialist Alliance Ensuring the Supply with Skilled Personnel Members: Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) German Trade Union Federation (DGB) Region Nordwuerttemberg Chamber of Crafts (Handwerkskammer) Stuttgart Region Industrial Union of Metall Workers (IG Metall) Stuttgart Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Stuttgart Region Baden-Württemberg Employers Association of the Metal and Electrical Industry (Südwestmetall) Robert Bosch GmbH 7
Welcome Service Region Stuttgart Project structure Welcome Service Region Stuttgart Internat. professionals Companies (SMEs) Joint Contact-point Stuttgart city and WRS for new residents and people from abroad Information and advice on all questions regarding working and living in Stuttgart and the region, by email, telelphone or in person in English, German, and 10 other languages Welcome Service on Tour Information and advice in the region office hours in Böblingen Esslingen Göppingen Ludwigsburg Rems-Murr-Kreis Company services Information and advice about recruiting and integrating skilled specialists from abroad Information exchange Pooling and bundeling of interests Data bank about service agencies Information events and networking Communication and Marketing 8 welcome.region-stuttgart.de
Welcome Service for... International skilled specialists, students and their family members Information and advice at Welcome Center Stuttgart, via telephone and e-mail Decentralized office Hours in the Stuttgart Region (starting in October 2015) Network building (especially for integration to the labour market of the region and with labour partners) Information evenings and events at universities and regional communities in the Stuttgart Region Promoting the welcome culture to the authorities and municipalities of the Stuttgart region Welcome.region-stuttgart.de 9
Welcome services for small and medium sized companies Support in recruiting and integrating of skilled specialists from abroad - Information and advice on entry and residence rules, on framework conditions for integrating international skilled specialists in the company, etc. bundling the interests of companies, companie network Information events and trainings, job fares Website Welcome Service Region Stuttgart (www.welcome.regionstuttgart.de) with service provider data-base (for integrating or hiring services, language courses, etc.) 10 2015: 14 events for companies; 63 cases of information and advice; 118 SMEs informed and sensibilized
Stuttgart Welcome Center Joint contact point in co-operation with the city of Stuttgart (First) Contact point for new residents and people from abroad Information and advice about all questions concerning arrival, living and working in Stuttgart and the Stuttgart region - no responsibility for public administration (e.g. residence permits) - contact by e-mail, telephone, or in person in German, English and 11 other languages during the office hours,welcome-center-stuttgart.de - open doors (no appointment needed during the office hours) - contacts to regional partners and advisory services (Lotse) - Information evenings and events 11 - Office hours from partner organizations - Welcome Buddys
Welcome Center Stuttgart (organization) Joint project of Stuttgart City and Regional Economic Development Organization for Skilled Specialist Alliance Stuttgart Financing: 50% City of Stuttgart / 50% WRS (Welcome project) Staff in Councelling: 3,5 full time employees (1,5 posts City of Stuttgart/ 1,5 posts WSRS/ 0,5 post welfare organizations), two heads Support from and networks to the immigration advice services from regional welfare organizations (during the office hours) Network to regional labour partners and advisoring organizations neighborhoud and co-operation with Welthaus/Weltcafé (World House /World Café) and civil society clubs 12
Welcome Center Stuttgart Partners/Network Setup the local employment agencies: working group with agencies/job centers Job center(s) Industry chambers Foreigner registration office(s) Universities, universities of applied sciences, colleges Counties and municipalilties Cooperation partners and social welfare organisations Community circles Volunteers Student unions, Studierenden Werk Stuttgart (social services advising) Other members of civil society Country-specific networks : Spanish and Italian immigrants for (labour) integration 13
Information evenings and events Events at Welcome Center/Weltcafé Welcome Club for international students Information evenings for students New Citizens Club Information evenings about Living and Working in the Stuttgart Region: e.g. health system; social security, housing, learning German Culture Nights, Guided Tours Information evenings and trainings for partner organization (e.g. migrants clubs) Events for refugees Further information : welcome.region-stuttgart.de 14
15 Facts and figures
Welcome Center Stuttgart -Facts and Figures Figures 2014-2016; Stand 6.6.2016 Advisory requests/cases in the Welcome Center Stuttgart total: 5516 (3.500 in 2015) Main topics/questions Social benefit 4% Recognition of titels 5% Studies 6% 16 Live 6% Housing 6% Residence 12% Language 33% Job hunting 20% ways of contacting the WCS personal contacts 74% 58% 1. Contact Email 13% By telephone 13% in person 74%
Welcome Center Stuttgart -Facts and Figures Figures 2014-2016; 6.6.2016 Nationality Requests from more than 150 different countries Country Top 10 Third Countries top 5 Eu top 5 1. Syria (5%) 1. Italy (12%) 2. India (3%) 2. Croatia (8%) 3. Brazil (3%) 3. Spain (6%) 4. Russia (2%) 4. Greece (5%) 5. Bosnia (2%) 5. Romania (4%) Third Countrie s 46% EU 50% Qualifications 40% academics, 16 professional background Professopnal branches Top 10: health, economy; architecture/construction; Service Sector; ICT, Mechan. Engineering etc. 17
Summary 4 Theses People make the difference main points How people make the difference for successful integration 1. Actors structure and networks: Co-operation between city of Stuttgart /integration department regional economy labour market actors 2. Co-operation with civil society actors important for integration 3. Migrants/ international professionals as a solution for the regional labour market - people help people : strengthen migrants networks e.g. via events! 4. Voluteers (Welcome buddies) people need help from insiders (connecting majority society and minority society/migrants) 18
Thank you very much for your attention. Any questions? Contact Head of Welcome Service, Co-Head of Welcome Center Stuttgart Dr. Verena Andrei verena.andrei@region-stuttgart.de Tel.: 0049 711 22835-880 welcome.region-stuttgart.de 19