Opening Event for the Intercultural Week
10.11.2011 -
Holger Hövelmann, Home Secretary of Saxony-Anhalt, and Dr. Harry Stolte, InWEnt; Picture: Andreas Bader
Within the strategic guidelines on developmental education, InWEnt Saxony-Anhalt planned a symposium on “Labour Market Potentials of Immigrants” as opening event for this year´s Intercultural Week.
85 representatives of private enterprises, regional trade associations, immigrant organisations, education providers and other non-governmental organizations participated in the conference.
In his opening statement, Holger Hövelmann, Home Secretary of Saxony-Anhalt, pointed to the great impor-tance of exploring the potentials of immigrants in various contexts and closed his presentation by saying “Our federal state needs immigrants”.
Susi Möbbeck, the Integration Commissioner of Saxony-Anhalt, afterwards presented facts and figures on the current situation of immigrants in Germany and in Saxony-Anhalt in particular and highlighted attempts for integrating them into the labour market.
In his presentation, Dr. Thomas Brockmeier, director of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Halle-Dessau, shed light on the demand of the private sector for skilled foreign personnel in different economic sectors.
Daike Witt from the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts gave an introduction on the topic of the recogni-tion of foreign qualifications and training certificates in the context of the new immigration law which is cur-rently in the making.
Dialogue betwen conference participants. Picture: Andreas Lander
Subsequently, four working groups were formed to discuss the following topics:
- Transition from general education to vocational education/Higher Education
- Access to the labour market and recognition of diplomas and certificates
- Exploration of potentials
- Immigrants as entrepreneurs in Saxony-Anhalt
The four working groups identified priorities and developed recommendations for further actions which were then presented in a panel discussion.
Wolfgang Beck, Head of the Division „Vocational Education and Training/Qualification“ of the Ministry of Economics and Labour of Saxony-Anhalt, used his presentation on “Securing the supply of skilled labour in Saxony-Anhalt Utilizing the potential of immigrants” to point out regional political strategies of a new “Pact on Securing Skilled Labour Supply” that has been made by the government and different social partners.
In his final statement, Dr. Harry Stolte, Director of the Regional Centre Saxony-Anhalt, expressed his grati-tude to all participants and cooperation partners for their support in the preparation and implementation of the conference. He also expressed the expectation that all partners would continue their work to ensure that the conference results will be communicated and implemented in public policy, the economy and also in the civil society.
Cooperation partners:
- the Integration Commissioner of Saxony-Anhalt,
- die Auslandsgesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt e. V. (non-profit making institution for foreigners to learn lan-guages, culture etc.)
- the Commissioner for Foreigners of the city of Magdeburg,
- the Confederation for Immigration and Integration in Saxony-Anhalt,
- the Caritas Centre for Intercultural Competence for the Integration of Immigrants into the Labour Market of the Diocese of Magdeburg,
- the Red Cross regional association Magdeburg-Jerichower Land,
- the Chambers of Trade Halle-Dessau and Magdeburg,
- the Department for Vocational Pedagogy and
- the regional working group of the Chambers of Industry and Commerce of Saxony-Anhalt