Senate presents fresh strategy for skilled employees: Critics express doubts.

Job market - Senate presents fresh strategy for skilled employees: Critics express doubts.

To enhance the workforce in Hamburg, the red-green Senate has unveiled a new skills strategy. The objective of the "Hamburg Strategy for Assuring the Labor and Skills Availability" is to tackle the challenges of the evolving work landscape by collaborating with all market players, Social Senator Melanie Schlotzhauer (SPD) stated at the launch gathering in the town hall on Tuesday.

Participants in the strategy development were several authorities, the Labor Office, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the German Trade Union Alliance, and the Employers' Association North. Schlotzhauer explained that the labor market is undergoing modifications due to demographic change, digitalization, immigration, and pursuits towards environmental neutrality.

The strategy proposes five action areas. Attractive job conditions in Hamburg are intended to keep qualified workers in the city and entice new ones. Key objectives in this respect are fair pay, fair labor contracts, harmonious work-life balance, and corporate policies that emphasize non-discrimination and diversity.

The CEO of the DGB Hamburg commented on this segment of the plan, asserting, "The essential location aspect, in the eyes of the DGB Hamburg, will be the first pillar of the new strategy: the guarantee of good work, which offers a decent income and stable prospects."

Young individuals should receive better assistance in transitioning from school to employment to fulfill training roles. The Youth Employment Service will assist people with disabilities in entering the job market.

Through suitable training within the context of continuing professional development, individuals should be better equipped to navigate a changing work environment, remarked the Director of the Hamburg Labor Office, Sören Fock. The objective is "to instruct employees in enterprises, the unemployed, and immigrants to match the demand for skilled workers in both quantity and quality."

Increasing labor participation can be achieved by giving opportunities to underrepresented groups, added Schlotzhauer. For instance, she referred to people with mental disabilities, who are now supported by institutions such as the Hamburg House for Health and Work in maintaining their employability.

Both UVNorth CEO Thomas Frolich and the strategy lovers consider it "a propitious development proposal for everyone in Hamburg, irrespective of their last name and where they came from." It symbolizes an atmosphere of welcome and inclusiveness.

Notably, the opposition harbors doubts about the strategy's efficacy. Goetz Wiese, the CDU's spokesperson on economic policy, criticized it as "descriptive and powerless." "A major mistake is that the strategy was not conceived proactively by the Authority for Economy and Innovation (BWI). It encompasses elevating potential for the Hamburg economic hub and the metropolitan region. 'The BWI requires a clear mandate."

FDP MP Anna von Treuenfels-Frowein chided the strategy for its vague nature. Instead, she contended that the plan included the reconstruction of the Youth Employment Agency, invigorating the Hamburg Vocational Education Institute, and evaluating the past strategic initiatives. "There is still a heavy workload for the stakeholders before this skills labor strategy can become truly productive."

Read also:

1. The strategy also involves collaborating with the Chamber of Crafts to address the skills shortage in Hamburg's traditional crafts sectors, as highlighted by Senator Schlotzhauer.
2. The Federal Employment Agency has agreed to play a crucial role in implementing the strategy by providing mentoring and support to those facing challenges in integrating into the labor market, such as migrants and individuals with disabilities.
3. Critics from the opposition parties, including the CDU and FDP, argue that the strategy lacks a proactive approach and clear mandate from the Authority for Economy and Innovation (BWI), which could hinder its effectiveness in promoting Hamburg as a hub for skilled labor.
4. The SPD-led Senate's strategy aims to harness migration as a resource by ensuring that immigrants have the appropriate skills and qualifications to contribute to the city's labor market, addressing concerns about the potential impact of migration on employment opportunities for locals.
5. In line with the strategy, the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry has pledged to invest in digital training programs to equip its members with the necessary skills for the digital age, helping to overcome the skills gap resulting from digitization.
6. The DGB Hamburg will work closely with the Senate to monitor the implementation of the skills strategy, ensuring that the interests of workers and trade unions are incorporated into policies aimed at addressing the challenges facing the city's labor market.

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