Five years ago, the Welcome Center Ostwürttemberg began operations under the auspices of Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH Region Ostwürttemberg (WiRO) in cooperation with Aalen University. Under the title “Workers wanted – AI hyped – Economy uncertain – how do we respond to current trends and make Ostwürttemberg fit for the future in terms of securing skilled workers?”, the anniversary event provided concrete perspectives for securing skilled workers in East Württemberg in the future with input from science and industry as well as a panel discussion – and impressively demonstrated the contribution the Welcome Center is already making to the “region of talent and patents.”
In his welcoming address, District Administrator Dr. Bläse emphasized the importance of the Welcome Center for the region: “International talent is an essential component of our skilled labor retention strategy. The Welcome Center provides guidance, breaks down barriers, and strengthens a genuine culture of welcome in East Württemberg. It has become a central point of contact that helps our companies and international skilled workers alike.”
Rector Prof. Riegel also emphasized the role of international students and the close cooperation between the university and the Welcome Center: “International students make a decisive contribution to the innovative strength of our region. They bring with them expertise, motivation, and new perspectives. The Welcome Center connects them with companies at an early stage, making it easier for them to settle in and integrate into our region.”
In her keynote speech, “Resilient Companies in Uncertain Times: Approaches to Securing Skilled Workers,” Sibylle Stippler from the Cologne Institute for Economic Research discussed the importance of immigration in the future and where she sees potential for the region. Knowledge is retiring, and there is a particular shortage of young people with completed vocational training. She discussed the scope for action in terms of domestic potential, productivity, digitalization, and training and further education. “It won't work without international skilled workers,” she emphasized. Too few companies see the recruitment of international skilled workers as an opportunity to gain skilled workers for their own companies and are also failing to exploit the potential of international students.
Stippler praised the region's strengths, including good salaries for experts, innovative strength, and a low insolvency rate. However, she also saw room for improvement in the online services provided by public authorities, the low proportion of women in employment, and the availability of fiber optics. She praised the region for its attractive employers, innovative strength, high quality of life, and cooperation—and, last but not least, the Welcome Center Ostwürttemberg as an important institution for securing skilled workers.
In the subsequent panel discussion, Viktoria Bohn from the Ostwürttemberg Transformation Network, Ramon Rank from the Ostwürttemberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Dr. Mazen Abou Elfadil from PTS Prüftechnik GmbH, Dr. Verena Andrei, coordinator of the Welcome Centers in Baden-Württemberg, and Sibylle Stippler discussed the relevance of continuing education and the Welcome Centers in securing skilled workers, as well as the influence of AI, taking questions from the audience into account.
The afternoon also focused on a review of the Welcome Center team's five years of work. The team reported on more than 1,700 consultations for international students, skilled workers, and companies, as well as numerous events and awareness-raising measures that have firmly established the topic of welcoming culture in the region. The results show that the services are widely accepted and demand is growing steadily.
Das Welcome Center blickt gestärkt in die Zukunft: Das Wirtschaftsministerium Baden-Württemberg fördert das Projekt für weitere drei Jahre. Gleichzeitig wird die notwendige Kofinan-zierung weiterhin von einer breiten regionalen Unterstützerstruktur getragen – darunter die beiden Landkreise Ostalbkreis und Heidenheim, die Städte Aalen, Ellwangen, Giengen, Hei-denheim und Schwäbisch Gmünd sowie die IHK Ostwürttemberg und die Handwerkskammer Ulm. Dies ermöglicht auch künftig ein dezentrales Beratungsangebot und regionale Aktivitäten direkt vor Ort.
