Criticism of the Welcome Center: Madsen calls for immediate skilled worker solutions!

Criticism of the Welcome Center: Madsen calls for immediate skilled worker solutions!

Last Thursday, around 170 guests gathered for the 50th local political beer evening of the Mittelholstein Business Association (UVM) in Neumünster. Economics Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU) was invited as a guest of honor, but this turned out to be a difficult situation. Ulf Michel, the UVM board member, took the opportunity to express clear criticism of the administration and the political situation. A central point of the discussion was the acute shortage of qualified workers and skilled workers in Schleswig-Holstein.

Michel clarified that this has existed since December 2023 Welcome Center Kiel has not yet achieved the desired success in recruiting foreign skilled workers. Instead of the communication and impact that many had hoped for, only five people out of 516 consultations went to work successfully in the first year. The costs of the project amount to almost 13 million euros in the first five years, which is why criticism was loud from various political sides - including from the SPD and FDP.

Criticism of bureaucratic hurdles and lack of support

Although Economics Minister Madsen tried to put the situation into perspective by pointing out that the Welcome Center primarily functions as an advice center and does not provide direct mediation, the problem was not resolved. He called for less bureaucracy and promised to enable faster integration of skilled workers, even if they may not have extensive knowledge of German.

Michel also pointed out the long planning times, which can take 15 years even for relatively simple projects such as building a cycle path. Mayor Tobias Bergmann (SPD) was also in the firing line: The planned tax increases in Neumünster caused discontent among the entrepreneurs present, which placed a heavy burden on small and medium-sized businesses in particular.

Skilled labor shortages and demographic challenges

In general, there is an alarming picture in the labor market. According to that Skilled labor monitoring According to the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, massive bottlenecks are expected in many professions in the next few years. Regional differences in demographic change are also increasing, which particularly affects structurally weak areas. In order to address the shortage of skilled workers, Schleswig-Holstein needs 12,000 to 13,000 additional workers every year.

The entrepreneurs present made it clear: the knee-jerk call for tax increases is perceived as insufficient to ensure the urgently needed support for the local labor market. Instead, a comprehensive concept is needed that strengthens Schleswig-Holstein's attractiveness as an immigration country and reduces bureaucratic hurdles.

Overall, it remains to be stated: The rough wind that blew through Neumünster during the beer evening shows that there is a need for action. Challenging the framework conditions for companies requires a joint effort from politics and business in order to continue to create the best conditions for skilled workers in the future.