German/Polish pilot: Cross border information and competence centre to foster mobility of labour and vocational training

By Ms Silke Lorenz, Education and Training Service for Hamburg Businesses (BWH)

The border region between Poland and Germany is marked by differences in the economic structures and the varying degree of economic development. Cross-border mobility in this region is expected to increase after the end of the restriction on free movement in 2011.

Currently it is limited by objective barriers but also by a lack of data on the respective labour and vocational training markets, on working conditions in the enterprises, by the qualification requirements, and by different social insurance systems. The aim within the BSLN project is to develop a concept for an information and competence centre, which addresses these challenges and develops strategies as well as approaches. The idea will be developed in a collaborative effort by the German partners Nordmetall Employers’ association of the metal and electronics industry, the Education and Training Centre for Hamburg Businesses (BWH) and the Confederation of German Trade Unions Northern Region (DGB), together with the Polish partners NSZZ ’Solidarnosc’ and The All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ).

The main goal of the competence centre is to gather the relevant labour market information from several sources and to provide this to politicians and public authorities, and to employers associations and trade unions in Germany and Poland. The first results of the partnership are to be presented at this BSLN conference in Vilnius, after discussion and interviews with experts.

Donwload a summary of the German/Polish pilot project