361 million euros for education and employment in Baden-Württemberg!

361 million euros for education and employment in Baden-Württemberg!

There is reason to be happy in Baden-Württemberg! With strong support of 361 million euros from the European Social Fund (ESF), meaningful projects to train citizens were initiated. This sum accounts for an impressive 97 percent of the total ESF funding in the period from 2014 to 2020 the Ministry of Social Affairs of Baden-Württemberg reported.

These investments have placed a focus on strengthening employment and educational opportunities. Over 11,300 projects were able to benefit from this financial support, in which around 374,000 people were able to take part. What is interesting is that around 38 percent of these participants are women. In addition, 36 percent of participants are under 25 years old, while 11 percent are over 54 years old - the diversity of age groups becomes clear here.

Support for companies and social integration

Another important aspect: Almost 11,500 small and medium-sized companies received support. The “Promoting Opportunities” program aimed to create sustainable employment and promote skilled workers as well as social inclusion and lifelong learning. Measures such as support against child poverty, assisted employment in the care sector and part-time training for single parents were key points here.

The amounts settled also include funds from the REACT-EU initiative, which were budgeted as a direct response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Baden-Württemberg was able to access a significant portion of 102 million euros from the REACT-EU funds made available at short notice. The focus was on digitalization, combating poverty and supporting employment, the economy and culture.

Strategies for the future

In order to sustainably strengthen the sector, state political strategies such as “New Opportunities on the Labor Market” and “Alliance for Skilled Workers” were launched. A total of 42 ESF working groups are actively working on the development of regional labor market strategies and the selection of projects. A third of the funding is passed on directly to urban and rural districts to support special regional projects.

An interesting detail: The ESF usually only covers part of the costs for the projects. The other part must be provided through co-financing. In the last funding period, a total of around 700 million euros were invested in ESF projects, with an average ESF share of around 50 percent.

These comprehensive investments impressively show that Baden-Württemberg not only focuses on qualifications, but also on the future viability of society. One more reason to be optimistic about the coming years!