For a strong labour market: Münsterland Regional Agency will focus even more on skilled workers in 2020

Securing skilled labour in the field of care will be an even stronger focus of the work of the Münsterland Regional Agency in the future. This was made clear by the steering committee of the Regional Agency on Tuesday at the annual cooperation meeting with representatives of the NRW Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MAGS) at Münster/Osnabrück Airport.

"Last year, the Regional Agency once again succeeded in strengthening the labour market of the Münsterland region with concepts, programmes and projects and in supporting employers and employees together with the counselling centres in the region," explained Dr. Olaf Gericke, District Administrator of the Warendorf district and Chairman of the Steering Committee. "In particular, support instruments such as potential counselling and the NRW education cheque are of great importance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Here, Münsterland has been the front-runner in NRW for years in terms of case numbers."

The steering group members emphasised the positive employment development in Münsterland to the ministry representatives Stefan Kulozik and Mareike Niemeyer as well as Friedel Damberg from the Gesellschaft für innovative Beschäftigungsförderung (G.I.B.). The steering group members agreed that this could be even more positive if more skilled workers were available.

Therefore, securing skilled labour plays an important role in the Regional Agency's work planning for 2020. One focus this year is on the topic of "care". Because not only are more and more people working in the health and social sector. The reported jobs in nursing and care for the elderly are also remaining unfilled for longer and longer, while the number of nursing cases is rising. "Networking across the Münsterland region is necessary to counteract the shortage of skilled nursing staff," emphasised Julia Roesler, head of the Münsterland Regional Agency. "Not only applicants have to be convinced, companies also have to show their strengths. The aim is to improve the image of the profession, to dispel prejudices and to highlight the positive."

For example, the regional agency wants to make the support programmes for management consultancy more widely known in care facilities as well and remove the threshold fears that often exist. For example, it is planned to present advisory programmes at a joint meeting of various care facilities, to participate in conferences and congresses with information stands and to organise an information event for advisors of the programmes in Münsterland.

In addition, the topic of digitalisation continues to play an important role in the work of the Münsterland Regional Agency. With idea labs and events on the topic, the focus has so far been on addressing businesses. Now the effects of digitalisation on the working conditions and qualifications of employees are to be looked at even more closely. In doing so, the regional agency provides impulses and shows development opportunities - not only through the labour market policy support programmes, but also through events and workshops.