From the Skilled Immigration Act to people-centered HR work

Jena Alliance for Skilled Workers discusses international recruitment and local potential

From the end of the year, it will be much less bureaucratic for companies in Jena to recruit international skilled workers. The advantages for the local economy when the new Skilled Immigration Act ("FEG") comes into force in November were discussed by around 50 participants at the 11th annual meeting of the "Jena Alliance for Skilled Workers" on 7 September 2023. This network meets once a year to discuss new ways of jointly shaping the sustainable recruitment of skilled workers in Jena. Representatives from companies, trade associations, the employment agency, the state and local authorities, the education sector and universities take part.

Skilled Immigration Act: More planning security for companies

"Jena companies can benefit significantly from the new Skilled Immigration Act if the framework conditions are right. With the Welcome Center Jena, we have a concrete first point of contact for international skilled workers, where they can receive comprehensive advice and support if required,"

says JenaWirtschaft Managing Director Wilfried Röpke.

The increase in staff at the Jena Immigration and Residence Service / Foreigners Service team also helps. The advantages of the new "FEG" for Jena are obvious. According to the keynote speech by Stefan Scholz from the Thuringia East Employment Agency, the new law leads to more flexibility in the target professions.

"Since, for example, precision opticians are not trained outside the EU, companies have not been able to hire anyone with this qualification with an international background until now. Overall, the amendment to the law places more emphasis on professional qualifications and less on formal titles."

Furthermore, the previously high income limits for foreign academic employees will be lowered and the possible stay for skilled workers after completing their training will be extended, according to Scholz. This will give companies more planning security. The law is a step in the right direction to enable more work-related immigration.

Personnel management on new paths - and more complex

However, the local economy must also look inwards, said Prof. Michael Behr from the Thuringian Ministry of Labor, among others. Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt are currently the only federal states in which the proportion of German employees is not growing. We will experience a demographic tsunami in the next 10-15 years, Behr draws the comparison. Companies must therefore also focus on retaining their employees and also see the talent and people behind the documents when applying for jobs, summarized Nadin Riedl, Director and authorized signatory of the Jena Training Center. This also includes, for example, inviting applicants with less straightforward CVs to interviews. Alternative paths such as lateral entry or part-time training also offer opportunities to recruit new skilled workers. For companies, this means that HR management is becoming more complex. In the coming years, small and medium-sized companies and craft businesses in particular will be even more challenged to shed light on internal processes, retain employees and attract new ones.

"The work of the Jena Alliance is to develop good ideas with the help of the swarm intelligence of all stakeholders and to exchange ideas on solutions. With our annual meeting, workshops and many other offers, we provide the framework to make good examples and support structures visible, especially for SMEs and craft businesses,"

says Wilfried Röpke. Cooperation between local and regional partners is particularly in demand: in addition to business development, these include the employment agency, the chambers of industry and commerce and the chambers of skilled trades.

Nevertheless, the challenges remain. Overall, the problem of skilled workers cannot be solved by pressing just one button, said Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche, who is the patron of the Jena Alliance for Skilled Workers:

"We must learn to manage well within the shortage, because the need for labor will not be solved completely."

In addition to good career guidance, immigration and good advertising for Jena as a location, it is also necessary to optimize and digitalize processes in order to be able to work well with fewer staff.

Background: Jena Alliance for Skilled Workers

The Jena Alliance for Skilled Workers (JAfF) has been bringing together stakeholders from business, science, local authorities and educational institutions from Jena and the region since 2012 in order to overcome the challenges of developing skilled workers in Jena. As the head of JAfF, JenaWirtschaft assumes responsibility for strengthening the competitiveness of business and science. The JAfF thrives on the commitment of its members in order to effectively attract skilled workers to Jena in line with demand. Participants are invited to contribute their expertise and in return benefit from the excellent network and ultimately from a successful Jena location.

The following topics were discussed at the annual meeting of the Jena Alliance for Skilled Workers on 07.09.2023

• Immigration and the Skilled Immigration Act: "The new Skilled Immigration Act - opportunities and limitations", input from Stefan Scholz, Thuringia-East Employment Agency
  Fish-bowl discussion on "Skilled Immigration Act - seizing opportunities, improving framework conditions" with
  • Stefan Scholz (Jena Employment Agency),
  • Prof. Dr. Michael Behr (Thuringian Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Women and Family),
  • Cornelia Meyerrose (Welcome Center Jena),
  • Olaf Schroth (Jena City Council),
  • Natalja Bajkovski (OptoNet e.V.)
• Endogenous and internal potentials: "Human-centered HR work", input Dr. Nadin Riedl JENAER BILDUNGSZENTRUM gGmbH -SCHOTT CARL ZEISS JENOPTIK
  Fish-bowl discussion on "Fish-bowl discussion "WIRKorte - where can we become active in order to utilize on-site and in-house potentials" with
  • Dr. Nadin Riedl,
  • Dr. Thomas Nitzsche (Lord Mayor of the City of Jena),
  • Manuela Vogt (Jena SHK district craftsmen's association),
  • Thomas Schran (Sparkasse Jena Saale-Holzland),
  • Matthias Säckl (IHK Ostthüringen zu Gera)