Support programmes for vocational qualification and training

In the meantime, there is a good network of counselling institutions for the training and vocational qualification of immigrants as well as a wide range of support programmes that support immigrants and companies alike. Below you will find an initial overview of the support programmes for vocational qualification and training:

Welcome Guides - support in the training of refugees

Welcome Guides support companies nationwide in all matters relating to the integration of refugees in training, internships or employment. The Welcome Guides visit the companies on site and provide advice on the legal framework. They put forward suitable applicants from among the refugees to interested companies and provide individual support with bureaucratic and practical issues. In addition, they provide information about regional and national funding and support opportunities and help them to complete the necessary formalities.

In order to ensure that the integration of refugees in the workplace is sustainable, the local guides work together with a broad network of relevant players and also help to develop a welcoming culture in the workplace.

Locations of the Welcome Guides in Saxony-Anhalt

REGIO AKTIV Sachsen-Anhalt

Regio Aktiv is a directive of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Equality and is implemented using funding from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). The programme aims to support the labour market integration of disadvantaged people and to facilitate young people's access to vocational training. In this context, the regional labour market projects should be more strongly oriented towards local needs. In return, the administrative districts and independent cities are provided with more room for manoeuvre. The programme comprises ten funding areas that are implemented with varying focal areas in the regions, including the following:

• Vocational integration of individuals who suffer from special placement barriers "Active integration" (AE)
• Supporting Single Parents and Family Communities in Need in Social and Labour Market Integration "Strengthening Families - Opening Up Perspectives" (FAMICO)
• Ensuring the educational and employability of young people in need of support “STABIL – Selbstfindung – Training – Anleitung – Betreuung – Initiative – Lernen” [Self-discovery - Training - Guidance - Supervision - Initiative - Learning] (STABIL)
• Boosting of school and extracurricular career guidance in the form of accompanied company internships (PRAXIS BO)
• Competence Agencies (KA)

Information on REGIO AKTIV and the other funding areas

REGIO AKTIV is the successor programme to RÜMSA - Regional Transition Management Saxony-Anhalt of the Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Equality. The REGIO AKTIV website is still under construction Additional information on RÜMSA

STABIL

The state programme STABIL - Selbstfindung-Training-Anleitung-Betreuung-Initiative-Lernen (Self-Discovery-Training-Guidance-Initiative-Learning) wants to prevent young people from being socially excluded. It supports projects for the professional and social reintegration of young people who are no older than 25. This also includes young people with a migration background. Funding is provided for projects that help young people without a training place, who have dropped out of training or have special socio-educational needs to find training and employment.

The following state measures and tools during training are intended to support young immigrants in successfully completing their training:

Assistierte Ausbildung Flexibel (AsA flex)

In the project Assistierte Ausbildung Flexibel (AsA flex), the discontinued programmes “Zukunftschance assistierte Ausbildung (ZaA)” (Future Chance Assisted Training) and “ausbildungsbegleitende Hilfen (abH) (Training Accompanying Assistance)" were combined and merged together.
Within the framework of the assisted training, young people with difficult starting conditions and high support needs are supported in successfully completing regular training through appropriate preparation and intensive socio-educational guidance. The legal basis for this is Social Code III Section 130.

The support here is holistic and tailored to people's individual needs and is provided by a training provider as a central contact and contact point for both the young person and the company providing the training.
The project is funded by the European Social Fund and the state of Saxony-Anhalt and is implemented in cooperation with the Federal Employment Agency.
Further information on the programme “Assistierte Ausbildung Flexibel (AsA flex)”

Berufsausbildung in außerbetrieblichen Einrichtungen (Vocational Training in extra-company establishments) (BaE)

The Programme Berufsausbildung in außerbetrieblichen Einrichtungen (BaE) offers young people selected by the Federal Employment Agency an alternative to in-company training. The target group is school leavers without an apprenticeship (after compulsory schooling) as well as drop-outs who want to continue their apprenticeship. The programme is also open to people who are neither starting a vocational preparation training measure (BvB) nor an introductory qualification (EQ) or who have not successfully completed them.

The training contract is concluded with an educational institution and not with a company. There is no age restriction for participants. The vocational training lasts a maximum of three and a half years.

There are two BaE models:

In the cooperative model, the technical theory is taught at the site of the training provider and the technical practical work at the company. The teachers, trainers and social pedagogues of the training provider accompany the participants during the entire training period. The contents of the training are based on the valid framework curricula of the respective professions. The training at the educational institution is supplemented by communication training, job application coaching, promotion of social skills, support and remedial teaching as well as socio-pedagogical support.

The integrative model of BaE is aimed at people with learning difficulties or disadvantaged people who need special support due to cognitive or social deficits in order to successfully complete an apprenticeship. The training takes place at the training provider and is supplemented by internships at companies. Additional language courses are also planned for immigrants.

The costs for participation in the training programme are borne by the assigning agency (BA or Job Centre). Participants are entitled to a training allowance and are covered by social insurance.

Since 1 August 2019, both individuals with a residence permit and individuals with a toleration permit have been excluded from this programme without exception (see Training Assistance for Refugees of the IQ Immigration Department).

However, third-country nationals with a residence permit, settlement permit, EU Blue Card or EU permanent residence permit can participate in BaE without any restrictions or waiting period.

You can find more information on further school education opportunities and on higher education in the section "Vocational Guidance”.

The following information offers provide an overview of possible support projects and offers for the integration of immigrants in training. However, they should not and cannot replace an individual and detailed consultation. In particular, to find out which funding opportunities the target group is entitled to. To do this, it is best to contact the specialist responsible for you at the Federal Employment Agency or the Job Centre.

The following table of the IQ Immigration Office shows which training support programmes refugees have access to, depending on their residence status.

The IQ Network Lower Saxony explains in the working guide Training Assistance for Refugees which forms of access to training support exist for refugees depending on their residence status.

The Federal Ministry The Labour and Social Affairs has summarised in a Fact Paper Migration Package: Improvements for permitted and tolerated persons which regulations of the migration package have positive effects on the situation of permitted and tolerated persons.

The Fact paper Access of foreigners to support for vocational training and training preparation reorganised - also produced by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs - presents the reorganised access of foreigners to support for training within the framework of the Act on the Promotion of Employment of Foreigners.

The Immigration Department in the "Integration through Qualification (IQ)" funding programme summarises in detail and in a clear manner all the changes that arise within the framework of the migration package in its work aid Overview of current planned changes in the so-called "migration package" and other draft laws.

The Netzwerk Unternehmen integrieren Flüchtlinge (Businesses Integrate Refugees Network) also presents in its publication A brief overview of the migration package an overview of the new regulations and laws within the framework of the migration package. In doing so, it limits itself to the information relevant to companies with regard to the training and employment of refugees and foreign qualified specialists.

The IQ Network Lower Saxony explains in detail in the working guide Overview of training support for migrants with a residence permit and tolerated status as of 1 August 2019 the conditions under which people with a tolerated status or temporary residence permit have access to certain forms of training support.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior, for Construction and Home Affairs provides information in its working guide Application Guidance on the Skilled Immigration Act on the amendments to the Residence Act which were adopted with the Skilled Immigration Act.

The City of Halle has published the overview Information on funded labour market projects and measures on its website, listing the labour market projects in Halle and the target groups for which they are intended.

The Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband in its handout "Access to vocational training and training assistance benefits for young refugees and new immigrants” provides an overview of existing support tools and training support benefits for refugees and EU citizens. Among other things, the prerequisites under the law on foreigners for the promotion of education depending on the residence status are discussed.

Return to "Support programmes and tools”