More than 600 "Welcome to Jena" events for people from all over the world

More than 600 advisory contacts, more than 260 workshop participants and around 60 network meetings in the last 12 months: the Welcome Center Jena at Teichgraben 5 has an impressive track record on its first anniversary. The facility of the Jena Economic Development Corporation (JenaWirtschaft) in cooperation with the IQ Network Thuringia was launched in April 2022 as the first point of contact for new skilled workers and companies alike. The team advises potential new skilled workers on the topics of "Working and living in Jena" and at the same time supports local companies in all matters relating to recruiting and securing skilled workers.

Jena's Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche is delighted about the anniversary: "The Welcome Center Jena is a real gain for the city. As a municipality, we are committed to a comprehensive welcoming culture and the aim of local policy is to support this initial contact point in the long term," says Nitzsche.

The idea of a Welcome Center emerged in mid-2019 when the Jena Economic Development Agency published the "Jena 2030 Skilled Workers Study".

"The study derived a comprehensive catalog of measures that we are coordinating and implementing as an overall concept for the location," says JenaWirtschaft Managing Director Wilfried Röpke. "In addition to the Welcome Center, we are also developing measures in the area of school-to-work transition or for the promotion of internal company potential, e.g. through workshops."

Contact point for skilled workers

According to Ramona Scheiding, Head of the Skilled Workers Service at JenaWirtschaft, the establishment of a contact point to support skilled workers in working and living in Jena is a key element in recruiting skilled workers. "Competent and structured advice helps people from abroad in particular when they arrive here. International skilled workers are immensely important for the city, as around a third of the people currently working in Jena will retire by the end of 2030." The city needs an influx of people from abroad so that the local and regional economy can continue to develop successfully.

In the first year of the Welcome Center, the 'IQ Network Thuringia' was also involved in providing individual advice to skilled workers and companies:

"With the 'Integration through Qualification' funding program, we are working to improve the labour market integration of people of foreign origin in Thuringia," says Steffen Jacobi, Commercial Director of the Bildungswerk der Thüringer Wirtschaft e.V., which has been responsible for the overall coordination of the IQ Network Thuringia since 2005. "With our advisory services at the Welcome Center Jena, we have supported companies in hiring applicants from third countries in addition to the Skilled Immigration Act, which came into force in March 2020."

Numerous companies received case-related support specifically on the topics of entry and residence, recognition of qualifications obtained abroad and admission to the labor market. With the start of a new funding period, the network is now focusing more on supporting migrants in the recognition process and integration in regional companies, says Jacobi.

Advice topics

Over the past 12 months, team members Cornelia Meyerrose and Johanna Scholz from JenaWirtschaft and Dana Wunderlich and Ev Sauerbrey from the IQ Network have advised numerous companies and people from over 60 nations at the Welcome Center. The questions from the skilled workers mainly revolved around the specific job search, but also housing, family members moving with them and language courses.

"We provide comprehensive advice and also support the first steps of settling in locally," says Johanna Scholz, describing the Welcome Center's mission. "The first few months in particular are often very challenging and we help people to settle in Jena."

The WCJ team has also developed new online and offline formats, is in contact with regional integration stakeholders and is involved in the national network of Welcome Centers.

"We primarily advise local companies on the recruitment and integration of international skilled workers," says Cornelia Meyerrose. "We support the recruitment process and offer individual support as part of our welcome service if required."

Companies and private individuals interested in a consultation can make an appointment online at work-in-jena.de.

V.l.: Ev Sauerbrey, Cornelia Meyerrose, Johanna Scholz, OB Thomas Nitzsche, Steffen Jacobi, Dana Wunderlich, Wilfried Röpke und Ramona Scheiding

© JenaWirtschaft