Qualification − the key to success

Accordingly, there is a broad spectrum of goals and target groups as the intended beneficiaries of the ESF’s offers. In Hamburg, the ESF intends to:

• strengthen skilled workers’ employability through qualifications, thereby securing jobs
• prepare job-seekers for the challenges of the labour market
• support immigrants in the recognition of foreign certifications
• introduce young people to vocational training early on
• open up equal opportunities for women through better career prospects and the same remuneration as men
• qualify disadvantaged persons – e.g. disabled people, older job-seekers or long-term unemployed –
for participation in the world of work.

The key to success is qualification. This is clear when looking at the long-term unemployed: whereas their total number in Hamburg has been decreasing for years, the proportion of long-term unemployed without vocational training has increased sharply.

(source: interview in Jobs-Kompakt 1/2012).
The ESF makes training and qualification measures possible, and so works to improve the overall level of employment in the Hamburg labour market.

Realisation of ESF projects

The Operational Programme for Hamburg establishes and regulates the strategy for the implementation of ESF during the programming period. On this basis and with participation from Hamburg's authorities, new projects are as a rule put out to tender annually and are open for application from employment and qualification organisations, universities, research establishments, training and enterprise associations, chambers of commerce and other institutions in the public or private sphere. The process is transparent: all information about call for proposals is available online at www.esf-hamburg.de. The evaluation of project proposals is carried out by the ESF Authority Committee. The competitive process ensures that only those projects that are designed to be particularly effective and cost-efficient receive ESF support.