Schweitzer wants to be a "job engine" for people on the labor market
Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Alexander Schweitzer wants to expand the "job engine" for refugees announced by the federal government. "It's good that there is to be this turbo for refugees, but we need it for all people on the labor market," said the SPD politician in an interview with the German Press Agency in Mainz. People without a refugee background who have been unable to find employment despite the good labor market situation should also be included, Schweitzer demanded with a view to the shortage of skilled workers and labor.
The federal government, business and trade unions want to get hundreds of thousands of refugees into work more quickly. The work should be "as tailored as possible", but also "as quickly as possible", announced Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) after a meeting with top representatives from the Federal Employment Agency and business associations, trade unions, companies and local authorities.
Schweitzer called on Heil to "develop this project as closely as possible with the federal states". In Rhineland-Palatinate, preparations are already being made in close cooperation with the job centers and the employment agency. "We want to combine these two topics, namely the integration and employment turbo with a labor market turbo for all people who are on basic benefits and are willing to take up employment."
The job centers need to be well equipped for this. With their programs, they decide whether long-term unemployed people receive the support they need. Schweitzer cited catching up on school or vocational qualifications as examples. This also includes assistance to support mobility, such as financing a driving license. "The job centers need time and money to integrate people into the job market." The job centers will feel the effects of the federal government's cost-cutting requirements in the future. However, a perspective for the coming years beyond 2024 is necessary.
Schweitzer proposed including individuals with household financial struggles in the job market initiative, stating, "We also need to consider people without a refugee background who have been unable to find employment despite the good labor market situation." To effectively integrate these individuals, Schweitzer emphasized the need for well-equipped job centers with adequate time and resources, mentioning examples such as catch-up programs for education and vocational training, as well as assistance with mobility costs like obtaining a driving license.
Source: www.dpa.com
