Craftsmanship at the forefront - HWK initiates the "Halting Yourself" campaign
In the heart of Dortmund, Germany, the Handwerkskammer (HWK) is spearheading a series of reforms aimed at revitalising the city's craft sector, which has been grappling with issues of high labor costs, weak training figures, and lack of mobility readiness.
The HWK's project, titled "working voluntarily," is implementing lighthouse projects in vocational training with extensive construction measures. The reforms, emphasised due to a sense of abandonment felt by craft businesses, are designed to address these challenges head-on.
One of the key areas of focus is reducing labor costs. The HWK is implementing measures to maintain competitiveness while ensuring fair wages. They are also enhancing vocational training programs to improve the current weak training figures, securing a well-qualified future workforce.
In an effort to increase mobility readiness, the HWK is fostering more flexible labor mobility, both geographically and within sectors, to respond better to market demands and skill shortages. They are also reducing bureaucratic burdens and advocating for political support measures, such as tax reliefs and electricity tax cuts, to ease operational costs and investment in training and mobility initiatives.
Addressing the shortage of young people willing to enter craft trades is another priority. The HWK is promoting the sector’s attractiveness and career opportunities to encourage more youth to consider a career in the craft sector.
The HWK's leadership team, including President Schröder, CEO Harder, and Business Manager Mouelhi-Ort, discussed these reforms at the annual workshop held at the education center on Ardeystraße.
The HWK Dortmund's education centers are a comprehensive concept that increasingly intertwines the trades. The first construction phase for modernizing and expanding 19 workshops is expected to be completed by 2027, with a total volume of construction activities estimated to be 130 million euros. The second construction phase for a more modern infrastructure and better amenities is scheduled for 2030.
Despite the challenges, the craft sector in Dortmund remains resilient. Current figures for the sector will not be published until September due to late summer holidays. However, it is worth noting that training figures are at a -2% compared to pre-Corona levels.
The HWK Dortmund is a pioneer in the field of education centers nationwide. The campaign "STAY YOU" aims to encourage tradespeople to found their own businesses, with role models from the chamber district providing inspiration. One such role model is Farah Alfarhan, an optician from Hagen who became self-employed with the support of the HWK.
The quality of apprentices in the craft sector is reported to be high, with about 85% completing their training successfully. The craft sector, however, feels overlooked in Dortmund's local politics, which prioritises promoting the city as a technology and research hub.
Despite these challenges, the HWK leadership team remains optimistic and innovative in their pursuit of a future-proof craft sector. The HWK Dortmund has received approval for 46 million euros in funding for the first construction phase, a testament to their commitment to the cause.
[1] Source: Local craft businesses' interviews and statements.
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