She had used the first 100 days for approaching all relevant actors to discuss the diverse challenges of the economy together with them, both on the employers' and employees' and the associations' parts. "The positive resonance to the fact that the Ministry for Economic Affairs is independent again is enormous", the minister emphasized. "With the new layout of my Ministry, I have the possibility to implement a homogeneous economic policy."
Promoting Digitalization of the Economic and Working World
"The digital revolution is fundamentally changing the way we produce and work, the way we consume and live. For the Baden-Württemberg innovation state, using the chance of digitalization is of central importance. We must further extend and safeguard our top position on a long-term basis", Hoffmeister-Kraut declared. For this, she wanted to elaborate an overall concept covering all economic fields affected by digitalization. "We must introduce the topic of economy 4.0 to the medium-sized enterprises more intensely to safeguard its position as a strong economic factor in the country in future as well" according to the Minister. Here, the focus is on small and medium-sized enterprises of all branches which are often still digital newcomers. "We must also prepare the employees for the challenges of the working world 4.0, however. To me it is important to get the people on board and to make it possible for them to also find their place in tomorrow's working world and to have a safe income", Hoffmeister-Kraut stressed.
Appointment of a Technology Representative
With the decision of promptly wanting to appoint a technology representative who would successfully promote the technology transfer between research and science and the business sector, she already set an important first priority here. Hoffmeister-Kraut: "The technology representative is supposed to help prepare in particular the small and medium-sized enterprises for the challenges the Baden-Württemberg technology location is facing. Only if we succeed in anchoring current research innovations successfully in the enterprises promptly and application-oriented can we further increase our innovation dynamics." In addition, the Ministry already launched the "digital marshallers" project (one million euros from now on for three years). The digital marshallers are supposed to support the small and medium-sized enterprises with their respective concepts in questions on digitalization. Further elements of the digitalization strategy were in the planning stage.
Medium-Sized Enterprises Top Priority Again
"The medium-sized enterprises are the economical heavyweight of Baden-Württemberg and basis of our prosperity. Therefore we gave them top priority again, unlike the predecessor government. To support the requests of the skilled crafts and trades and the entire medium-sized business is a central task of the Ministry in our eyes, with me as the first contact," said the Minister.
Intensifying Efforts to Keep Skilled Workers in the Region
"Many large and small enterprises once again illustrated to me in my talks during the last weeks how much the specialist lack worries them", Hoffmeister-Kraut took stock. Due to the demographic development and the good economic situation, many of them were desperately seeking specialists. Simultaneously, a great number of refugees would have to be integrated into the labor market. "To overcome these challenges, great efforts are necessary that I would like to promote with emphasis", the Minister stressed. With the specialist alliance and the education alliance, the state would have two proven formats into which all relevant partners at the labor market are integrated. In the specialist alliance, the future emphases would among other things be on the qualification and employment of semiskilled and unskilled personnel, the increase of the employment rate of persons 55 years and older and the recruitment of international specialists. The education alliance would in addition work on the consolidation of the dual education with a measure bundle.
Integration of Refugees into the Labor Market
"The integration of refugees will only succeed if their integration into the economy, as specialists, but also as founders, will also succeed. Therefore, not only issues of the basic needs should be important here from the beginning, but also the cultural introduction into our economy and our mode of life", the minister emphasized. "We need a consistent concept instead of a great number of individual measures. I will therefore check all measures ongoing in the ministry." For the start of the new training year, the minister in addition schedules a one-day journey to different enterprises employing refugees to get informed of problems and challenges first-hand.
Increasing the Foundation Dynamics
"As the state of tinkerers and thinkers, we want to turn Baden-Württemberg into a magnet for creative people and support risk propensity, the Minister said. Her Ministry was currently elaborating a 10-point program for a new foundation offensive involving the existing founder network BW which is supposed to be realized gradually upon adoption. Hoffmeister-Kraut: "Foundations are the engine of the economic structure change." Enterprise foundations could be facilitated among other things by improved financing options, the Ministry for Economic Affairs was currently elaborating a concept for that.
New Dwelling Alliance: Creating Dwellings without Thought Control
"To create sufficient and payable dwellings fast is a central concern of the state government. We will only reach this objective if we bring all actors of the housing market together" according to Hoffmeister-Kraut. Therefore, the Minister already launched the "dwelling alliance for Baden-Württemberg" (Wohnraum-Allianz für Baden-Württemberg) in July, where the strategic partners of the housing industry, the local state associations, the factions represented in the federal state parliament and of banks or the nature and environment protection are represented.
Before the end of the year, the committee was supposed to present first suggestions that could be realized quickly, the minister stressed. The legal foundations of construction and planning up to public funding and financing would be in the center here. "Scarce dwellings bear great risks for the social cohesion of a society. It is ever therefore more necessary than ever to quickly build sufficient and payable dwellings. Sometimes, hurdles are opposed to this objective, however, at which we will have an exact look. For this, there must not be any prohibition of thought", Hoffmeister-Kraut admonished and appealed to everybody's sense of responsibility. Furthermore, the Ministry wanted to increase the funds of 205 million euros available in 2016 for the financial support of social housing space to 250 million euros in 2017. This would correspond to a perceptible plus of approximately 20 percent.
State-Wide District Visits Planned
Baden-Württemberg is characterized by its heterogeneous structure and the variety of its regions: on the one hand, the rural area with its density of family-run medium-sized enterprises and international market leaders, on the other hand, big metropolis regions with interesting start-up companies and economy-oriented research institutes of repute. "As the Minister for Economic Affairs, I want to get a comprehensive idea on site of the varying economic structure", Hoffmeister-Kraut said. Therefore, the Minister is planning to make regular district visits in the state starting in the new year at the latest.
