Feasibility study – Realising and sustainably developing the potential of green trades in Berlin and Vietnam | GrünHand Berlin

The cooperation project GrünHand Berlin was launched to address pressing challenges on the Berlin labour market and at the same time contribute to combating climate change and promoting global cooperation.

Berlin’s labour market is facing considerable challenges. The skilled trades sector in particular is suffering from an acute shortage of skilled labour, which is affecting the region’s economic strength and innovative capacity. At the same time, climate change requires urgent measures and new skills in the field of sustainable technologies and green professions. Globalisation offers both opportunities and challenges: It enables international cooperation and the exchange of expertise, but also leads to more intense competition for well-trained specialists.

This is exactly where our GrünHand Berlin project takes effect. In cooperation with Vietnamese partners, we are developing innovative solutions for recruiting and training skilled labour. The aim is not only to alleviate the shortage of skilled labour in Berlin through the targeted recruitment and training of young people from Vietnam, but also to strengthen vocational training and environmental expertise in Vietnam. Through scientifically founded approaches and close co-operation, we are creating sustainable and future-proof structures that meet both the requirements of Berlin’s skilled trades and global climate protection goals.

Origin of the project:

The project was initiated by the BGZ at the request of the Berlin Chamber of Skilled Crafts in order to secure the supply of skilled labour in Berlin’s skilled crafts sector. In cooperation with the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU), the idea was born to develop a joint project that would benefit both Berlin and Vietnam. Vietnam was chosen as a partner country due to its strong vocational education system and demographic situation, which leaves many young people without sufficient employment opportunities. At the same time, UfU has been running projects in Vietnam since 1998 and also has an office in Hanoi.

Project objective:

The main objective of the project is to prepare a larger co-operation project that recruits skilled workers for the Berlin skilled crafts sector from Vietnam and at the same time improves vocational training in Vietnam. The project focusses on two main areas:

1. Apprentices for Berlin craft businesses:

• Recruiting Vietnamese trainees for the trades of electronics and plumbing, air conditioning and heating.
• Development of pre-qualification programmes, language courses and cultural preparation courses.
• Creation of a concept for the integration and accommodation of trainees in Berlin.

2. Skilled labour for green professions in Vietnam:

• Analysing and improving the training and qualification of the focused professions in Vietnam and, in particular, expanding the Vietnamese standard occupational profile to include sustainability.
• Development of curricula and programmes for teacher qualification.

Target groups:

• Vocational schools and training companies in Vietnam and Berlin.
• Vietnamese and Berlin vocational schools, particularly in the fields of electrical engineering and plumbing, air conditioning and heating.

Scientific content of the GrünHand Berlin project:

The GrünHand Berlin project involves a comprehensive scientific investigation and analysis of existing concepts to combat the shortage of skilled labour and improve vocational training in the context of green professions. The scientific content includes:

1. Analysing needs and identifying challenges: Investigation of the current and future demand for skilled labour in Berlin’s skilled crafts sector in the focused professions as well as the demographic and economic challenges in Vietnam.
2. Curriculum development: Scientific evaluation of existing training plans for the focussed professions in both countries, as well as the formulation of necessary developments of these curricula in order to adapt them to modern requirements of cooperation and climate protection goals.
3. Qualification of teachers: Development of effective training and further education concepts for teachers in Vietnam and Germany with a special focus on the current and future requirements in the training of the professions focussed on in the project.
4. Intercultural integration: Formulation of methods for the linguistic and cultural preparation of Vietnamese trainees for their work in Berlin and development of intercultural workshops and programmes for Berlin training companies and vocational schools.
5. Climate protection and sustainability: Scientific analysis of the requirements and potential of green professions in Vietnam and their contribution to climate protection.

Expected results:

Preparation of a comprehensive feasibility study with a detailed recruitment concept for attracting skilled labour from Vietnam based on the aforementioned scientific content.
Brief concept for the further development of green vocational training programmes and teacher training in Vietnam.
Establishment of stable co-operation relationships and preparation of a comprehensive funding application for the main project.