Heil launches alliance for "job engine"
The German government, business and trade unions want to get hundreds of thousands of refugees into work more quickly. Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) announced the launch of the "job engine" for refugees that he announced in October in Berlin on Monday. Heil signed a declaration of intent to this effect with top representatives from the Federal Employment Agency and business associations, trade unions, companies and municipal umbrella organizations.
Heil said that 140,000 people from the country had already found work in Germany since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. "That's a start, but it's nowhere near enough for me," said Heil. There are a total of 400,000 refugees who have completed their integration course or are about to do so and are then available for the labor market. Heil did not want to give an estimate of how quickly these people could be integrated into work. "I believe that if we get our act together, we will be much further along in a year than we are today," he said.
The Managing Director of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations, Steffen Kampeter, and DGB board member Anja Piel expressly assured Heil of their support. Kampeter said: "The Ukrainian refugees are a very special challenge for the labor market because they are particularly well qualified." The principle of promoting and demanding must be communicated even more strongly. Priority must be given to placing those affected so that refugees become colleagues. Heil emphasized that it must also be made clear that employees do not have to speak perfect German at first.
Heil announced the "job engine" in October. The main aim is to place Ukrainian refugees, as well as people from other countries, in jobs more quickly. Steps such as further qualification alongside employment or further language acquisition are also to be defined in individual cooperation plans. If job offers are not accepted, the citizen's allowance is to be reduced.
Heil mentioned that there are approximately 400,000 refugees who have completed their integration course or are about to do so, ready to enter the labor market. Recognizing the unique skills of Ukrainian refugees, Steffen Kampeter, the Managing Director of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations, emphasized the importance of promoting and demanding their placement in jobs, ensuring they become colleagues in the labor market.
Source: www.dpa.com
